According to an article on Mondaq (click here), the Italian Council of Ministers approved a bill on April 23, 2024, aiming to regulate AI technologies while minimizing risks to citizens. The bill proposes significant amendments to the Copyright Act, primarily focusing on the need for human creative input to qualify for copyright protection. This change aims to address the complexities arising from AI-generated works and the appropriate use of copyrighted materials in AI training datasets.

Additionally, the bill seeks to extend citation rights to AI-generated works for research and criticism, providing a legal framework for the use of such content. The initiative reflects a growing recognition of the importance of balancing innovation in AI with the protection of intellectual property rights.

A major component of the proposed legislation is the regulation of deepfakes. The bill mandates clear labeling of AI-generated content to distinguish it from human-created works, thus enhancing transparency and accountability. Furthermore, it introduces criminal penalties for the unlawful dissemination of deepfake content, addressing concerns about the potential misuse of such technologies to deceive or harm individuals.

The proposed legislation represents Italy's proactive approach to tackling the ethical and legal challenges posed by advancements in AI. By setting stringent guidelines and penalties, the bill aims to safeguard the rights of content creators while fostering responsible AI development and usage.

The proposal is now pending parliamentary discussion and approval, indicating that Italy is moving towards comprehensive regulation of AI technologies to ensure they are used ethically and responsibly.