AI and games have become hot topics at conferences such as Devcom, the game developer conference that precedes the giant Gamescom expo every year in Cologne.
I moderated a panel at the event exploring the limits of intellectual property, including legal experts discussing issues like claiming fair use in copying images from the public domain.
We delved into current copyright and trademark protection laws concerning normal copycat issues and their application to AI creations—cases where a U.S. court has already ruled that AI creations without human involvement cannot receive legal protection. These are the types of discussions likely taking place among SAG-AFTRA union negotiators who seek AI protections for actors from video game companies.
Meanwhile, game and AI companies are racing to develop advanced AI technology to automate tasks and increase efficiency. The legal and ethical implications of these developments are likely to lag behind, but it is crucial to address these issues proactively to avoid future regrets.
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Our panelists included Pieter Koornhof, COO of 24-Bit Games; Nav Sunner, CEO of Navatron; Michal Pekala, advocate and partner in the technology department of Rymarz Zdort Maruta, and the head of the Video Games & Entertainment practice; and Andrea Dufaure, counsel at A&O Shearman.
Here is a transcript of our interview. Disclosure: Devcom paid my way to Cologne where I moderated two sessions at the event.
Pieter Koornhof: We primarily work with publishers aiming to port their games to various platforms. I have a background in law and academia, having represented video game clients and written on IP aspects in video games related to modding, infringement, and AI.
Nav Sunner: I am from Navatron,
