The DPIIT Working Paper On AI And Copyright: Regulatory Signals And Practical Implications

Artificial intelligence ("AI") is no longer at the margins of business strategy. For many organisations, it has become embedded in product design, customer engagement, internal workflows and long-term planning. As AI moves closer to core operations, regulatory attention has shifted away from the narrow questions of permissibility and towards broader concerns around governance, accountability and economic impact.

In India, that shift is beginning to take clearer shape. The recent Working Paper on Generative AI and Copyright (Part 1) released by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade ("DPIIT") on December 08, 2025 ("Working Paper") is a case in point. While the Working Paper is framed around copyright and AI training, its relevance extends well beyond that subject. It offers an early indication of how Indian regulators are thinking about AI as an economic activity and how they may seek to structure regulation for emerging technologies more