What Makes Creation Human? Authorship, Reasons, and Meaningful Human Control in Generative AI

This research from arXiv explores the evolving concept of human authorship in the context of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). It distinguishes between creativity at the work level and creative agency at the creator level, arguing that human authorship is not solely defined by manual intervention, automation degree, initial idea origin, or final selection. Instead, it posits that genuine human authorship hinges on whether human judgment and reasons meaningfully shape the work's development, introducing the concept of 'Meaningful Human Control' (MHC) into generative creation.

Why it matters

The evolving definition of human authorship in GenAI has significant implications for intellectual property rights, liability, and the valuation of creative works in various sectors. Understanding what constitutes 'Meaningful Human Control' is crucial for developing robust governance frameworks and ethical guidelines that acknowledge human input while leveraging AI capabilities.

Key insights

• GenAI enhances productive capacity for creators but does not automatically increase creative agency or authorship.
• A critical distinction exists between creativity embodied in a work and the creative agency exercised by a human creator.
• Human authorship cannot be determined solely by factors such as manual intervention, the level of automation, the origin of an initial idea, or the authority for final selection.
• Authentic human authorship depends on the genuine influence of human judgment and reasoning throughout the development of a work.
• The concept of Meaningful Human Control (MHC) is introduced as a framework for understanding human involvement in generative creation.

Source

arXiv — Computers and Society — https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.10738