Wait, I Made That! Creativity, Copyright & AI

[Note: these questions were written in the summer of 2026. It seems that every aspect of AI’s development, usage, and impact is evolving at a rapid pace. Take that into account and use relevant, recent information in formulating your answers and arguments.]

1. One of the speakers believes that we should “think about the risks” before we use AI to write songs, create artworks, or animate movies. What do you think those risks are? And what do you think about those risks? Be specific.
2. AI seems to already be very good at creating many forms of art and is getting better. How should we weigh those potential benefits against the risks you may have listed in response to question #1? Is it possible to know with certainty what benefits may outweigh those risks and which option is better?
3. One speaker asks: “When an AI makes something, who owns it? Whose work is that?” What is your answer to these questions? Are these questions important? Explain.
4. What level of human input do you think should be required before we conclude that a song or poem or artwork made with the help of AI should be attributed to that person?
5. One speaker voices the opinion that artists using AI are getting lazier. Do you think this is true? If so, do you think it’s a bad thing? When automobiles, or even bicycles, were invented, some people probably said that people were getting lazier because they didn’t walk places anymore. Is there a reason why AI replacing people’s own activity carries worse ramifications in a “creative space” than it may in a less creative space such as summarizing a document or prioritizing a busy person’s email? Explain.
6. It appears that most people are more impressed with your short story, your song, or your speech if they know that you created it yourself and did not use AI. With the use of AI being so ubiquitous, do you feel it is necessary to disclaim the use of AI when you create something new all on your own? Should saying that you didn’t use AI become the convention, or should people who do use AI feel an obligation to disclose their use? Should there be a legal obligation to do so? Would that be different if someone was applying for a copyright or a patent? Explain.
7. Should we change copyright law to encourage or to discourage using AI to replace human creativity? Why or why not?
8. As of July 2026, federal courts are declaring it “fair use” for an AI company to train its new large language models (LLMs) on Margaret Atwood’s (and everyone else’s) work without paying for it because they are using that material to create something entirely new and different (the generative AI model). Do you think these court rulings lead to a fair result? Should the law be changed? Support your reasoning.
9. One speaker, describing generative AI, says “it’s very exciting because they can generate anything and its terrifying because they can generate anything.” Are you more excited or more terrified? Why?  Give specific examples to support your view.
10. One speaker asks: “Are we really benefitting all of humanity so much that it’s okay to trample on these other rules that we have established to benefit individuals?” What is your answer to this question? Give specific reasons to support your answer.

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AI Ethics Companion Handbook

This e-book compiles all the resources on AI ethics available on the Ethics Unwrapped website. It will continue to be updated as new materials are published.

A recent resource from Ethics Unwrapped is a book, Behavioral Ethics in Practice: Why We Sometimes Make the Wrong Decisions, written by Cara Biasucci and Robert Prentice. This accessible book is amply footnoted with behavioral ethics studies and associated research. It also includes suggestions at the end of each chapter for related Ethics Unwrapped videos and case studies. Some instructors use this resource to educate themselves, while others use it in lieu of (or in addition to) a textbook.

The most recent article written by Cara Biasucci and Robert Prentice describes the basics of behavioral ethics and introduces Ethics Unwrapped videos and supporting materials along with teaching examples. It also includes data on the efficacy of Ethics Unwrapped for improving ethics pedagogy across disciplines. Published in Journal of Business Law and Ethics Pedagogy (Vol. 1, August 2018), it can be downloaded here: “Teaching Behavioral Ethics (Using “Ethics Unwrapped” Videos and Educational Materials).”

Cara Biasucci also wrote a chapter on integrating Ethics Unwrapped in higher education, which can be found in the latest edition of Teaching Ethics: Instructional Models, Methods and Modalities for University Studies. The chapter includes examples of how Ethics Unwrapped is used at various universities.

An article written by Ethics Unwrapped authors Minette Drumwright, Robert Prentice, and Cara Biasucci introduce key concepts in behavioral ethics and approaches to effective ethics instruction—including sample classroom assignments. Published in the Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, it can be downloaded here: “Behavioral Ethics and Teaching Ethical Decision Making.”

A detailed article written by Robert Prentice, with extensive resources for teaching behavioral ethics, was published in Journal of Legal Studies Education and can be downloaded here: “Teaching Behavioral Ethics.”

Another article by Robert Prentice, discussing how behavioral ethics can improve the ethicality of human decision-making, was published in the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy. It can be downloaded here: “Behavioral Ethics: Can It Help Lawyers (And Others) Be their Best Selves?”

A dated (but still serviceable) introductory article about teaching behavioral ethics can be accessed through Google Scholar by searching: Prentice, Robert A. 2004. “Teaching Ethics, Heuristics, and Biases.” Journal of Business Ethics Education 1 (1): 57-74.