MPA Participates in Roundtables Across India: AI and Copyright

From 27 April to 1 May, the Motion Picture Association (MPA) convened and contributed to three roundtables in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi focused on a shared priority: strengthening copyright protections in the age of artificial intelligence.

The discussions built on the high level dialogue between MPA Chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin and India’s Union Minister for Electronics & IT, Railways and Information & Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, during the AI Impact Summit in February.

Across all three events, participants emphasised that AI innovation and a thriving creative economy are mutually reinforcing. With India’s creative economy valued at ₹2.78 trillion, speakers highlighted the importance of maintaining strong copyright protections that support both technological advancement and creative industries.

Participants also urged policymakers to reject proposed changes to copyright law that could weaken protections for creators and rightsholders. Instead, they called for AI policy to be guided by three key principles:

• Consent: Rightsholders must provide permission before their works are used to train AI systems.
• Voluntary Licensing: Voluntary licensing remains the most effective and balanced framework for both rightsholders and AI developers.
• Enforcement: Stronger mechanisms are needed to enable rightsholders to enforce their rights in the digital environment, including more accessible civil remedies and effective criminal enforcement.

The roundtables also featured discussions on the white paper, AI in the Creative Industry: Deepening the Value Chain, published by Koan Advisory in association with Creative First. The paper examines how India’s screen industries are already using AI tools to enhance filmmaking while keeping human creativity at the centre of the creative process.

Read the white paper, AI in the Creative Industry: Deepening the Value Chain, here.

Photos from the roundtables are available below:
Delhi | 28 April – Generative AI, Copyright and Intellectual Property 
Mumbai | 28 April – Rewarding Our Creative Future in the Age of AI
Hyderabad | 30 April – Rewarding Our Creative Future in the Age of AI