TrueRights and the European Influencer Marketing Alliance (EIMA) have partnered to launch a new Code of Conduct covering the use of creator content, likeness and other creative assets in generative AI systems, amid growing concern around consent, licensing and commercial rights across the creator economy.
The launch comes at a time when AI tools are becoming commonplace across marketing, advertising and content production. For creators, agencies and brands, that has brought fresh questions about how images, voices, likenesses and other creative assets should be used, licensed and protected.
The partnership grew out of a shared view that the industry would benefit from clearer expectations around how creator content is used in AI systems. The Code brings together guidance on permissions, licensing and commercial use, giving organisations a practical reference point as adoption continues to accelerate.
Benjamin Woollams, Founder and CEO of TrueRights, said: “We’ve seen a steady stream of headlines about AI-generated content featuring well-known personalities, often without their involvement or approval. Those stories have helped bring attention to the issue, but the reality is that creators across the industry are wrestling with many of the same questions around consent, attribution and commercial use.
“For years, the creator economy has operated on a fairly simple principle: if someone’s image, content or influence creates value, they should have a say in how it’s used and share fairly in that value. AI doesn’t change that principle, but it does make it harder to apply.
“This Code is an attempt to bring some clarity to a fast-moving area. It gives creators, agencies, brands and technology providers a common starting point and a practical set of standards they can work from today.”
The Code has been developed with Europe’s fragmented rights landscape in mind. Approaches to copyright, personality rights and consent can differ significantly between markets, creating challenges for organisations operating across borders. It is intended to complement existing and emerging regulation, including the EU AI Act, the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) and the forthcoming Digital Fairness Act.
It is aimed at organisations across the AI content chain, from technology providers and brands through to agencies, creators, talent representatives and rights holders.
Jeanette Okwu, Co-Founder of EIMA and CEO of influencer marketing agency beyondINFLUENCE, said: “As AI tools become more powerful and more widely adopted, the line between authentic creator content and AI-generated content is becoming increasingly blurred. That raises important questions about consent, attribution, and compensation that the industry cannot afford to leave unanswered.
“At its best, AI-driven analysis can be integrated with human creativity to identify emerging trends, optimise creator partnerships and deliver more effective and data-informed campaigns. But those opportunities can only be realised if creators remain in control of how their identity and creative work are used.
“Audiences, brands and platforms all benefit when there is confidence about what is real. TrueRights exists to help build that trust by giving creators the tools and protections they need to participate in the AI economy on fair and transparent terms. TrueRights is an important step towards creating a creator ecosystem where innovation and creator rights can develop together, rather than being seen as competing priorities.”
EIMA’s membership spans ten European countries and more than 300 agencies. Together, EIMA and TrueRights will oversee the Code’s ongoing development and invite organisations from across the industry to endorse it publicly.
Alongside the Code, TrueRights and EIMA have published an accompanying whitepaper, Protecting Creator IP in the Age of AI, exploring some of the key challenges and opportunities emerging as AI becomes more widely adopted.
