What is copyright?
 

Copyright protects creative works – literary and artistic creations such as text, images, software, music, and audiovisual productions. Protection arises automatically upon creation and does not require registration. It grants the author exclusive rights to control use, reproduction, distribution, and publication.

However, copyright does not protect ideas, principles, or information itself – only their expression. This distinction is particularly important in environments where technology, data, and creative content intersect.

Why is copyright important for businesses?

Copyrights form a key part of a company’s intangible assets. They can be sold, licensed, and commercialised in various ways, such as in audiovisual productions, marketing materials, or digital services.

Clear contracts are essential to define rights and responsibilities, especially when works are created collaboratively or on commission. In employment or service relationships, it is always important to agree in writing on copyright ownership assignment or license terms. Without a specific agreement, the rights remain with the author – even if the work was produced within employment or a client project.
 

What should a copyright agreement include?
 

Key points to cover in copyright contracts include:

• Scope of use: purpose, duration, and means of exploitation.

• Ownership and origin: whether the work is entirely original or includes third-party elements such as images, fonts, or open-source components.

• Modifications and assignments: whether the work may be modified or combined with others, and whether the rights may be assigned.

• Compensation and royalties: how payment is structured and how future use is compensated.

A clear copyright agreement helps prevent disputes over ownership and use. This is particularly important in creative industries, software development, and AI-driven projects.

How do new technologies affect copyright?

AI, automation, and data introduce new dimensions to copyright. Who owns AI-generated content? Can such output be copyrighted? Under what conditions can AI be trained on copyrighted material?

Legislation and case law are still evolving. What is clear, however, is that copyright always vests in a human author, not an AI system. The use of training data, on the other hand, is assessed under both copyright exceptions and data protection rules.
 

Why is copyright management important?
 

Copyrights are central to many companies’ value creation, but they also pose risks if ownership or usage rights are unclear. A lawyer’s role is to ensure that IP and license frameworks support business goals, clarify ownership and usage rights, and anticipate future developments.

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