Tuğba Güleş

Are AI Training Datasets the Next Frontier of Intellectual Property?

Tuğba Güleş 11.Mar.2026

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems are trained on vast datasets containing text, images, and other digital materials, often derived from copyrighted works. This practice has sparked growing legal disputes between creators and AI developers. While creators claim their works are used without authorization, technology companies argue that AI training merely extracts statistical patterns rather than reproducing expressive content. Current debates focus on whether such uses fall within doctrines like fair use in the United States or text-and-data mining (TDM) exceptions in the European Union.