Ressources / Resources

A few years ago, based on a member’s request, the board researched and decided not to allow the use of AI at a time when the direction and common uses of AI were less clear.  Considering current thinking and the advent of AI in every aspect of life, we are updating our policy.  
 
Visual works based on an AI image, created from your own prompt, will now be acceptable submissions for Collectif events.  Note, If you produce a painting from a generated image, the intellectual property right becomes yours. 
 
We asked AI for its input, and it gave us a comprehensive answer. See how well it can write (in some circumstances)!  Here is what it gave us:
 
You can copyright a painting you physically produce by hand, even if it’s based on an AI-generated image, provided that your execution involves sufficient creative input.
 
Here’s how it works:
1.   Physical Hand-Painted Work = Human Authorship
Copyright law protects works of human authorship. If you physically paint the image—even if you’re copying an AI image—you are adding human skill, effort and interpretation. That makes the work yours, even if the idea or composition came from an AI.
 
2.   AI Image = Not Copyrighted
Under current U.S. and Canadian law (and in many other jurisdictions), purely AI-generated images are not eligible for copyright protection because they lack human authorship. So, the original AI image typically doesn’t have copyright protection unless there’s significant human involvement.
 
3.   You Own the Copyright to Your Painting
Because your painting is a human-made object—even if it’s closely based on an AI output—you can copyright it. However, if the AI image was heavily based on copyrighted material (e.g., it closely mimics a famous painting), you could run into issues of derivative work infringement.
 
Please note we will not accept submissions of AI-generated writings. AI is very good at writing prose, poetry, essays, etc. While AI has definite uses (see #3 below), writings need to be the creation of a human to be considered original.
 
Again, AI itself summarized it perfectly:
 
Policy on AI Use in Written Submissions
To maintain the integrity of original creative writing, The Collectif does not accept written submissions that are fully or primarily generated by artificial intelligence tools (such as ChatGPT, Bard, Claude, etc.).
 
However, we recognize that many writers use AI responsibly as a tool for minor grammar correction, spelling checks, or clarity improvements. This limited use is acceptable, provided that:
 
1.   The core content, ideas, structure, and voice of the piece are entirely the writer’s own.
2.   AI tools are not used to compose full paragraphs, generate plots, or imitate another author’s style.
3.   Any assistance from AI is kept at the level of proofreading or light editing.
 
We rely on the honour system and trust writers to be transparent and respectful of this boundary. This policy helps us celebrate authentic human creativity while acknowledging modern writing tools.
 
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at cagac.ca@gmail.com