Source: Parliament Watch

According to Parliament Watch, legal experts in Uganda are sounding the alarm over the country's outdated copyright laws, warning that they are inadequate to address the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. During a symposium on copyright and AI organized by the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), lawyers argued that without immediate legislative amendments, Ugandan creators are at high risk of exploitation. A key concern raised is the unauthorized use of copyrighted materials, such as music, art, and literature, to train generative AI models. Under the current legal framework, creators have little recourse when their work is scraped from the internet and used to develop commercial AI systems without permission or compensation, potentially devaluing their original creations.

The legal professionals also highlighted the complex issue of authorship and ownership of works generated by AI. The existing Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act of 2006 does not provide clear guidance on whether an AI system or its human user can be considered the author, creating significant legal ambiguity. This lack of clarity complicates the enforcement of rights and the monetization of AI-assisted creative works. Participants at the symposium, including renowned lawyer Silver Kayondo, urged the government to fast-track the amendment process. They called for a new legal framework that explicitly defines the rights and responsibilities of AI developers, users, and original content creators to foster innovation while ensuring that the intellectual property of Ugandan artists and authors is protected from exploitation in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.