AI gains in Indian media come with copyright strings attached
Artificial intelligence could lift revenues by around 10% and cut costs by up to 15% across India's media and entertainment sector, according to a new report. But those gains depend on settling unresolved questions about copyright, ownership and how AI systems are trained.
The whitepaper, AI in the Creative Industry: Deepening the Value Chain, produced by Koan Advisory with Creative First, maps where AI is already working in Indian studios and newsrooms. Script development, virtual production, editing and localisation are compressing timelines and lowering barriers for smaller creators.
The same report warns that policy decisions made now could undermine those benefits. A proposal under discussion would create a blanket licensing framework where the government sets rates for copyrighted works used to train AI systems. The authors argue this would disrupt existing market-based licensing, prevent price discovery and weaken creators' control over their own work.
Industry calls for consent-based licensing
Representatives from film, music, publishing and broadcasting sectors gathered across Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad last week to discuss the findings. Their message was consistent: copyright protections should remain voluntary and negotiated, not mandated.
Abhay Sinha, President of the Film Federation of India, said: "Digital India must not become free for all India. Our creative works cannot be treated as raw material for someone else's business model."
Sanjay Tandon, Founder and Managing Director of the Indian Singers and Musicians Rights Association, characterised unauthorised use of creative works by AI companies as theft. "It kills the artist, hollows out investment, reduces risk taking, and ultimately shrinks the diversity of music and stories that Indians get to hear and see," he said.
Blaise Fernandes, President of the Indian Music Industry, pointed to global precedent. "Deals are being done between copyright holders and AI companies around the world. Why can't the same be applicable to India?"
What the report recommends
The Koan-Creative First paper calls for three things:
- Retaining voluntary licensing regimes where rights are negotiated commercially between stakeholders
- A measured regulatory approach that remains limited and adaptive as legal precedent develops
- Stronger enforcement mechanisms in digital environments and investment in training as AI tools become embedded in creative workflows
Nitin Tej Ahuja, CEO of the Producers Guild of India, summed up the position: "From Hindi to regional language cinema, from music to publishing, India's creative economy runs on one simple principle: if you use someone's work or intellectual property, you must respect their rights."
James Cheatley, Vice President of Digital Affairs and Intellectual Property for the Motion Picture Association's Asia Pacific division, said the industry consensus sent a signal globally. "Strong copyright is not a barrier to innovation, but its foundation, especially in the age of AI," he said.
The recommendations arrive as courts in other jurisdictions work through similar questions. The case ANI Media versus OpenAI remains unresolved, and its outcome could shape how Indian policy develops.
For AI for Creatives, the stakes are practical. Investment in skills training will determine who benefits from efficiency gains and who gets left behind as tools change faster than training can follow.
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