Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan seeks legal changes to tackle piracy, AI challenges

Kochi: Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan has advocated for comprehensive legislative updates to bolster copyright protections and counter the growing challenges introduced by artificial intelligence (AI).

Speaking on Friday after inaugurating a seminar titled 'Music, Cinema and Law: Exploring the Intersections of Art, Culture and Law', the Chief Minister highlighted that piracy continues to inflict severe financial damage on the film industry, underscoring the urgent need for robust legal frameworks to safeguard creative works involving massive investments and collective artistic effort.

The Chief Minister also pointed to the rapid rise of AI-generated music, imagery, and video content, noting that it has spawned serious threats including deepfakes and security risks. Citing instances where AI was weaponised to create and circulate fake visuals of prominent public figures across social media platforms, he stressed that existing laws must adapt swiftly to keep pace with evolving technological challenges.

Underscoring the socio-cultural value of art, Satheesan remarked that creative expressions provide vital solace, allowing individuals to temporarily rise above life's hardships and experience genuine joy.

The seminar, jointly hosted by the Kerala Judicial Academy and the National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) through September 13, focuses on critical legal debates surrounding cinema, music, digital media platforms, creative rights, and AI integration.

The event featured Supreme Court Judge Justice V Mohana as the chief guest. Addressing the gathering, Kerala High Court Chief Justice Soumen Sen observed that while law, music, and cinema seem distinct, they are fundamentally intertwined with human emotion and behaviour. While art captures the essence of human experience, law functions to regulate and protect it, Sen noted, adding that music serves as a profound cultural repository of memory, identity, and resistance amidst global tension. (PTI)