Downloading others' creations and then using AI for image alteration is illegal! China's first case of AI copyright infringement results in imprisonment and fines.

Beijing's first AI infringement criminal case was sentenced, and the main culprit was sentenced for using AI to make a profit, highlighting the legal red line and regulatory challenges in the AI era. (Synopsis: Meta × Oakley "AI sports glasses" debut: 3K image, 8 hours battery life, IPX4 waterproof, pre-order price $399) (Background supplement: Meta signed a 20-year nuclear power agreement to package an entire nuclear reactor to support AI computing power, cooperate with American Constellation Energy) In the age of AI, anyone can easily generate beautiful images. However, the abuse of AI technology may also cause damage to the rights and interests of creators. According to China Youth Daily, Beijing recently pronounced a verdict on China's first criminal case of copyright infringement using AI technology. The main culprit and the other four people downloaded original illustrations without authorization and made puzzles into puzzles and sold them with AI software, making it difficult for consumers to distinguish, seriously damaging the rights and interests of the originals, and finally illegally profiting more than 270,000 yuan. In accordance with the Copyright Law and relevant criminal law, the Tongzhou District Court of Beijing Municipality sentenced the principal culprit to one year and six months in prison, while other persons involved in the case received suspended sentences and fines, and the company involved in the case was also fined 100,000 yuan. This judgment clearly sends a signal that "AI generation does not equal legality", which is expected to serve as a deterrent to violators who are lucky. Legal Red Lines and Regulatory Challenges in the AI Era The prosecutor handling this case admitted that AI generative models are cutting-edge technologies, and the process of evidence collection and conviction is full of challenges. By digging deep into electronic data, prosecutors found that the works of many creators had been infringed, showing that AI technology is prone to large-scale infringement, which poses a new test to the existing regulatory system. Experts also pointed out that downloading other people's pictures and regenerating them using AI involves multiple legal risks. First of all, if the download itself is not authorized, it may constitute copyright infringement. Secondly, downloading images as AI training materials is an act of "reproduction" and requires the consent of the copyright owner. Even if the resulting new image is highly similar in expression to the original, it may still constitute infringement. In its judgment, the court will consider whether there is a possibility of "contact" with someone else's work and how similar the finished product is to the original. Compliant creation, away from legal risks Therefore, users avoid using protected images directly as AI training material, and instead regard AI as an auxiliary tool rather than a creative subject. If in doubt, it is recommended to consult a professional IP lawyer before use to assess the specific risks and reduce potential legal liabilities. With the passage of time, there will be more similar cases in the future, and even Openai and Google, which develop AI models, may also suffer lawsuits, and how global supervision should continue to improve relevant regulations in the future, promote the healthy development of AI technology, and make innovation and protection parallel will be a big problem. Related reports Meta vetoes the "bitcoin reserve" case, less than 0.1% of shareholders support: funds give priority to buy AI graphics cards Meta crypto payment returns? FB, IG internal test stablecoin payment, Zuckerberg's unabandoned blockchain ambition Meta solemnly refuted: never cooperate with China to censor Taiwanese content or share user information "Downloading other people's creations and then AI washing pictures is illegal! China's first AI copyright infringement criminal case sentenced to prison + fine" This article was first published in BlockTempo's "Dynamic Trend - The Most Influential Blockchain News Media".