Council of States wants to better protect journalism from artificial intelligence

« Time is pushing, we have to act quickly, » says Schwyz Councilor Petra Gössi (FDP). « Today we have the situation that artificial intelligence (AI) can use the fund of journalistic and other creative works unauthorized. » This is not acceptable in Switzerland: « We are poor in natural resources, but all the richer in innovative strength. » Therefore, the preservation of innovation in Switzerland is of central importance.

For this purpose, Gössi submitted a motion in which she demands better protection of intellectual property from AI. « If AI providers offer their own products with foreign intellectual property and want to earn money, they have to compensate this, » Gössi told CH-Media on Wednesday. Their concerns were waved without resistance on Thursday in the Council of States and transferred to the National Council.

A role model could be Germany

Switzerland would not be the first country in which legal steps against AI use would be initiated. Gössi lists the United States and France as an unprecedented country in which the legal process against AI providers such as Perplexity and Meta has already been elected. In addition, a few days ago, a thousand British musicians, including Kate Bush, would have protested with a quiet album against the use of their music for AI training.

The Thurgau Jakob Stark (SVP) expresses his support, but also says: «The Motion Gössi focuses on journalistic content. I don't find this prioritization expire. It would be better if the Swiss creative industries were taken into account as a whole. »

The Freiburg native Isabelle Chassot (center) supports Gössis and emphasizes: « We should not choose a special ruling now. » She warns that Switzerland should be based on the dealings of European countries to avoid foreseeable conflicts. Specifically, Switzerland can take an example to Germany: Licenses were introduced there that AI providers can acquire in order to use content law.