Portugal places discussion on AI in culture on the EU’s agenda

Portugal will bring to the EU Culture Council Meeting on 13 May in Brussels the subject "the value of the cultural and creative sectors in developing Artificial Intelligence – safeguarding copyright and related rights and guaranteeing transparency under the EU AI Act", for the Education, Youth, Culture, and Sport Council.

As the provisions contained in the EU Artificial Intelligence Act are almost entering into force (EU Regulation 2024/1689), Portugal deems it is fundamental to ensure that the development and application of general use AI models respect the fundamental rights, particularly Copyright and Related Rights, and ensure full transparency in using protected works.

This is a subject Portugal was promoting on a European level, initially set by the Secretary of State for Culture among the other Member States at the informal meeting of Ministers of Culture in Warsaw on 7 and 8 April. 

At the same time, the Secretary of State, who will also attend the Meeting of EU Ministers of culture on behalf of the Minister, addressed an open letter to the European Commission calling for the revision of the General Purpose AI Code of Practice with a view to ensuring it is fully aligned with European Copyright and the effective protection of creators and cultural diversity.

At this high-level political forum, Portugal will advocate:

• That the use of protected works to train AI models can only occur with the consent of the owners

• That clear and equative contractual models are adopted, applicable to all operators, without generalised exceptions

• And that transparency in the use of data is effective, with unique identifiers for the works used, for instance, ISBN or ISRC.

For Portugal, this discussion is strategic to Europe’s economic and cultural sustainability and to ensure a solid and coherent European positioning when faced with global technological operators. 

Upholding an ambitious and legally coherent Code of Practice is seen as essential to preserve cultural diversity, creators’ rights and confidence in technological development.