U.S. Representative Nathaniel Moran (TX-01) and Representative Madeleine Dean (PA-04) have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at increasing transparency in how artificial intelligence companies use copyrighted material.
The Transparency in AI Training (TRAIN) Act would establish a process allowing copyright owners to request information about AI training data when they believe their work was used without authorization. The legislation would enable copyright holders to seek administrative subpoenas to obtain information about AI training practices.
“This is about transparency and accountability, not picking winners or losers,” Moran said. “For creators and small businesses across East Texas, that transparency helps level the playing field without imposing new mandates or federal spending.”
Dean emphasized the need for legal frameworks to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology. “Currently, there is no path for creators to know if their work has been used — without their permission and without compensation — to train AI models,” she said. “The TRAIN Act would grant artists access to such AI records.”
According to the legislators, few AI companies voluntarily disclose their training data, and current law does not require them to do so. The bill does not change existing copyright law but creates a mechanism for copyright holders to obtain information about whether their work was used in AI training.
The legislation has received endorsements from multiple organizations representing creative professionals, including the Recording Industry Association of America, SAG-AFTRA, the Recording Academy, and the Nashville Songwriters Association International.