Multi-Actor Creator Liability in AI-Generated Works: A Normative Framework for Indonesian Copyright Law

Abstract

This study examines the legal status of authorship and liability mechanisms for AI-generated works within the framework of Indonesian positive law, analyzed comparatively with international regulations. Using a normative-juridical method with a descriptive-analytical approach, supported by statutory analysis, legal doctrines, and international practices, the findings confirm that artificial intelligence (AI) cannot be qualified as a legal subject because it lacks legal capacity and moral consciousness. Consequently, legal responsibility remains with humans, creators, programmers, or system controllers, through the principle of creator liability. The novelty of this research lies in the normative reconstruction that positions creator liability as the primary mechanism of accountability in revising Indonesia’s Copyright Law, while introducing the concept of multi-actor liability. This framework emphasizes that responsibility is not confined to a single party but can be distributed among programmers, system operators, and corporations utilizing AI. Such an approach strengthens legal certainty while providing a futuristic framework that is adaptive to technological disruption, balancing certainty, justice, and utility. In practical terms, this study offers recommendations for regulators to design policies responsive to digital transformation and provides guidance for the creative industry to ensure the fair distribution of economic benefits and the protection of moral rights. Regulations affirming humans as the principal legal subjects will prevent normative gaps, safeguard moral integrity, and guarantee equitable distribution of economic rights. Thus, this research contributes to strengthening Indonesia’s legal system to uphold certainty, justice, and utility in the digital era, while positioning the country within the global discourse on futuristic law and copyright protection in the age of AI.