STM responds to EU consultation on copyright, AI, and research

STM has responded to the European Commission’s consultation on the copyright framework, setting out its position on the use of copyright-protected content in AI and in research.

Scholarly publishers support the responsible development of AI and the widest sustainable dissemination of articles reporting on research findings. These objectives depend on a copyright framework that enables legitimate research uses, supports voluntary licensing, and preserves investment in the production, validation, and dissemination of trusted scholarly content.

Responsible AI in science depends on access to high-quality, trusted, and responsibly curated content, with clear provenance, quality assurance, and mechanisms for correction. STM therefore calls for targeted measures that address demonstrated, measurable problems while preserving enforceable rights and that also facilitate voluntary licensing.

For AI, this requires effective enforcement of existing rules alongside targeted, binding transparency requirements. Rightsholders currently have limited means of knowing when their works have been used for AI purposes, making both enforcement and licensing more difficult. Transparency and licensing should therefore not be treated as separate policy objectives: better information can help identify licensing needs and enable agreements to be negotiated on an informed basis.

For research, STM urges an evidence-based approach. The Commission should demonstrate where current measures are insufficient before introducing new or broader exceptions, with any intervention narrowly framed and appropriately safeguarded.