TWUC advises authors to add no-AI-training copyright notices

The Writers' Union of Canada has advised authors to include explicit prohibitions against artificial intelligence training in copyright pages and publishing contracts. The organization released suggested language for both copyright notices and contractual clauses to help writers legally restrict unauthorized machine learning use of their works. This guidance aims to create a standardized legal mechanism for authors to assert control over digital reproduction rights amid ongoing disputes regarding generative AI training datasets. TWUC states that current copyright frameworks lack sufficient specificity to prevent automated scraping without express written prohibitions. The recommendation comes as publishers and tech companies continue negotiating voluntary licensing agreements while litigation over fair use remains unresolved in multiple jurisdictions. Legal experts suggest such notices may strengthen future infringement claims by establishing clear intent, though enforcement depends on jurisdictional interpretation of digital copyright statutes and platform compliance with technical exclusion standards.