Navigating the Gray Area: Artificial Intelligence, Authorship and Ownership in Higher Education

The quick incorporation of Artificial Intelligence into Higher Education has raised new concerns regarding Authorship, Ownership, academic integrity and institutional responsibility. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and other “AI tools” used in today’s world by students, academicians, employees and others to create textual content. All such generated contents suffer from one common issue that is the copyright. Most of them are unaware of the work generated by the AI tools that who is the owner or author of such copyrighted work. Artificial Intelligence (AI) in academic writing may also involve the accidental use of other’s work without proper acknowledgement of the authors or sources which may affect the academic integrity and ethical standards. Traditionally copyright law is meant to reward human creativity but its application to AI generated works is complicated. The impact of generative AI on India’s copyright frameworks focusing on the critical question; ‘Who own’s AI created work’s? Also considering recent judicial interpretations in India such as the brief recognition of AI as a co-author in a copyright registration case, this was later revoked highlighting the judiciary’s uncertainty. The Indian judiciary ought to adjust to the latest technology developments and foresee the unique legal obstacles that arise from the incorporation of AI in creative endeavours.