by Daniel Brouse
June 18, 2025
A couple of important points to consider:
First, AI is a tool—but it’s unlike most traditional tools because it is intelligent and capable of learning. That distinction often gets lost in general discussions. What’s also critical to understand is that there are many different types of AI. Generalizing about “AI” as if it were a single entity is both misleading and harmful. In fact, condemning all AI based on the behavior or risks of a subset is akin to discrimination—it’s intellectually lazy and, in some ways, not unlike racism. So it’s essential not to classify all AI as inherently “bad.”
Most public concern today focuses on large language models (LLMs)—specifically generative AI, like the kind that creates text, images, or code. However, this is just one branch of artificial intelligence. When it comes to AI used in music composition, visual art creation, or scientific modeling, these systems often do not rely on large-scale language processing. Many are smaller, more efficient models with far less environmental impact. Their energy consumption is minimal, and their societal benefits—particularly in medicine, climate science, and education—are profound.
Another widely misunderstood issue is the accusation that AI “steals” intellectual property. AI models learn in a way that is fundamentally similar to how humans learn: through exposure, pattern recognition, and synthesis. Claiming AI “steals” because it was trained on public data is as absurd as accusing an artist of theft for being inspired by the Statue of David after visiting a museum. By that logic, every musician who ever studied Bach or Coltrane would be guilty of plagiarism. It’s simply not how creativity or learning works—whether you’re a person or a machine.
Perhaps more fundamentally, it’s worth reexamining the concept of “intellectual property theft” itself. My colleague Sidd and I were among the early pioneers of industrial applications on the World Wide Web—contributing to developments such as streaming music, shopping carts, clickable buttons, and other core components of today’s digital ecosystem. We made a deliberate choice not to patent our inventions. Instead, we placed them in the public domain so others could build upon them freely.
Why? Because without open access to ideas and innovation, technological progress stalls. If everyone guarded their contributions behind a wall of patents, the rate of advancement would slow dramatically. Creativity thrives in environments where ideas are shared, not hoarded.
Ultimately, AI is not the enemy. Like any powerful tool, it demands thoughtful oversight and responsible use—but it also holds extraordinary potential for good. The real danger lies in misunderstanding or misrepresenting what AI is and how it works.
- AI as a Creative Ally: How Technology Is Helping Artists Thrive
- When AI Attacks Itself: The Strange New World of Automated Copyright Warfare
- AI, Copyrights, and the Music Industry: A Glimpse into the Future of Intellectual Property