Why It’s Time to Make All Digital Content Public Domain
As someone who is passionate about technology and its impact on society, I strongly believe that artificial intelligence (AI) and tools such as ChatGPT and Midjourney are transforming the way we live, work, and interact with the world around us. These innovations are changing the rules of the game, and as a result, our laws and vision are becoming outdated. It is increasingly clear that we need to rethink our approach to intellectual property and ownership in the digital age. The traditional concept of ownership simply doesn’t fit the nature of digital content, and we should instead embrace the idea that all digital content should be made public domain.
I remember the teachings of Carlos Castaneda. He made it clear to us that we own nothing in this world except the time of our lives. It’s a profound thought that challenges the very idea of ownership. We are just temporary custodians of everything we possess, even our own bodies. Speaking of which, people are funny creatures. We like to put labels on everything and to own things, but even the very molecules and atoms that make up our bodies do not belong to us. We just borrow them from the universe. This raises the question: why do we place so much value on owning things when it’s just an illusion?
Our bodies are in a constant state of flux as we consume food, water, and air to sustain ourselves. In fact, nearly 98% of the atoms in our bodies are replaced each year. Yet despite this constant change, we still cling to the idea of ownership, believing that certain atoms are “ours” while others are not. We assign labels to ourselves and to others, trying to stake our claim on this ever-shifting physical existence. But in reality, these labels are arbitrary and fleeting, and the true value of our existence lies not in the atoms that make us up, but in the experiences and connections we create during our time on this earth.
I recognize that the concept of ownership is deeply ingrained in our society, enshrined in the law, Constitution, and even the Bible. However, when it comes to intellectual property, the lines become blurred. Unlike physical objects, ideas and creative works are intangible and can be easily shared and reproduced. The traditional approach to intellectual property, which heavily favors private ownership and control, may not be appropriate in the digital age. As technology continues to evolve, we need to question whether our current laws and policies are promoting innovation and creativity or hindering them.
People have created an incredible variety of basic elements such as letters, words, colors, shapes, and musical notes that anyone is allowed to use. However, the true challenge arises when people start to rearrange these elements in different orders, creating unique content such as texts, programs, images, music, and videos. It is at this point that the ownership of the content becomes murky. While everyone is allowed to use the basic elements, certain sequences of these elements are forbidden because some people have already secured ownership of them. This can be seen in a wide range of creative works, such as Beatles songs, Star Wars scenarios, and the Mona Lisa painting, where the sequences of the basic elements have been deemed the intellectual property of their respective owners. As I ponder this, I wonder whether it is fair to prevent others from using these specific sequences of elements, as they are merely creating something new by rearranging the basic building blocks that were freely available to everyone.
I find it frustrating how the laws surrounding intellectual property rights can be so convoluted and contradictory. The rules are not always clear-cut, leaving much room for interpretation. This ambiguity is compounded by the fact that the definition of plagiarism can vary greatly depending on the context and who is making the determination. As a result, creators often feel uncertain and anxious about whether they are breaking any rules or infringing on someone else’s intellectual property rights.
As I ponder the absurdity of intellectual property laws, an example comes to mind that highlights the ridiculousness of it all.
I propose that I become the owner of a sequence of numbers — [7, 42, 108] — and demand royalties from anyone who uses them in that specific order. Let’s call it the Winters Sequence.
It may sound absurd, but in reality, it’s not that far from what companies and individuals are doing with intellectual property. My thinking on the matter has also been influenced by Kirby Ferguson’s “Everything is a Remix” documentary. The film sheds light on how the most original works are often the result of combining existing ideas and concepts in a new and innovative way. It’s clear to me that the current approach to intellectual property is fundamentally flawed and in need of a major overhaul.
With the rise of deep learning, we can already interpolate feature vectors for text and images with ease, and it’s only a matter of time before this becomes possible for all forms of digital content. But the idea of ownership in the vast and endless sea of digital content seems like a futile exercise. It’s a conflict between human desire to label ownership and the nature of content itself. As a society, we must shift our consciousness and perception by embracing the idea that all digital content should be treated as public domain. Only then can we truly unlock the potential of digital technology and create a more collaborative and equitable society.
The evolution of digital content cannot be stopped, and while powerful corporations and individuals may resist this change, it is inevitable. As creators of digital content, we should embrace this new era and explore all the possibilities available to us. It would be a waste of potential if all we did was label ownership over neural network-generated content. We should aim to push the boundaries of what is possible with this technology and create something truly unique and innovative.
It is crucial that we shift our mindset on digital content ownership quickly. Our attachment to ownership labels may hinder us from finding a solution. However, we must recognize that the old ways of thinking are no longer viable in the digital age. Therefore, it is time to embrace a new approach, treating digital content as a public domain, which will lead to greater collaboration and innovation.
The concept of a Resource-Based Economy, proposed by Jacque Fresco, resonates with the current situation in the digital world. In a world where all resources are common and accessible to everyone, the idea of ownership becomes obsolete. This is precisely what’s happening in the digital world, and we must embrace this shift in thinking and industry rather than resisting it. We need to change our consciousness and recognize that evolution cannot be stopped if we want to move forward into a brighter future!
In conclusion, I am grateful for the opportunity to express my thoughts using the publicly available letters of the Latin alphabet. The idea that came to me is something that should not be copyrighted or restricted to only a few. I am pleased that it has been presented in this article, and I hope it will be disseminated and shared widely, becoming part of the public domain for everyone to access and benefit from. Lastly, I would like to express my gratitude to the readers for their time and attention in reading my first article.
