Government pushes for adaptive IP regulations to address AI challenges

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government is pushing for the development of intellectual property (IP) regulations that are more adaptive to technological advancements, especially artificial intelligence (AI), in order to address new legal challenges not yet accommodated in existing rules. Deputy Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correctional Services Otto Hasibuan assessed that digital technological progress has changed the way creative works are produced, including in the music sector, thereby raising fundamental questions about copyright ownership. Otto Hasibuan in Jakarta on Wednesday explained that the development of artificial intelligence (AI) has given rise to new issues in intellectual property law, particularly regarding ownership of works. He questioned who has rights to a song generated by AI, and whether other parties can reproduce or commercialise it without breaching the law. “Well, the legal question is, is there a copyright law that already regulates that? There isn’t,” he said. He explained that this situation indicates a gap between technological developments and regulatory readiness. According to him, if not anticipated promptly, these legal loopholes could lead to new conflicts in IP protection. Otto emphasised that future legal approaches can no longer be reactive or wait for technological developments, but must be more progressive and anticipatory. “That’s why I said earlier, we can no longer take it for granted by following the old way of thinking that law follows technology. So if the world advances, then we follow. Always late. Now, AI is here, but the law is still there,” he said. He cited the concept of law as a tool of social engineering to emphasise that regulations must be able to drive the direction of development, not just respond to changes. According to Otto, the preparation of a cross-sectoral IP roadmap currently being undertaken by the government is part of efforts to build a responsive, integrated legal framework capable of anticipating future technological disruptions. This step is expected to provide legal certainty for creative industry players while strengthening Indonesia’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.