No need to destroy books in Singapore to legally use them for training AI, say experts

Singapore's proactive stance on AI and intellectual property law offers a significant advantage for tech companies operating in Asia. By explicitly permitting the use of legally obtained copyrighted material for AI training, the city-state provides a clear legal framework that reduces uncertainty and encourages innovation. This contrasts sharply with the US, where firms like Anthropic have faced public and legal scrutiny for destructive scanning practices, even as one US court found such use transformative. This legal clarity is crucial for driving AI development, as highlighted by Google's Kent Walker. A regime requiring commercial licenses for every piece of publicly available data would stifle innovation. Singapore, alongside Japan and the European Union, is establishing clear rules for AI training on accessible content, positioning itself as an attractive hub for AI research and development in the region. The ability to use freely viewed online content for AI training, without rights owners being able to exclude their published works, further streamlines development, though AI models must still avoid producing copyrighted infringements in their output.