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Yiheng Lu

Yiheng

PhD Student

Email: yiheng.lu@qmul.ac.uk

Profile

Thesis title

Moral Rights in relation to Artificial Intelligence-Generated Content (AIGC)

Supervisors

Summary of research

This research, under the guidance of Professor Johanna Gibson at Queen Mary University of London, delves into the uncharted territories of moral rights in the realm of Artificial Intelligence-Generated Content (AIGC). While economic rights of copyright in AIGC have been extensively debated, the discourse on AI moral rights remains largely unexplored. This study aims to scrutinise the prerequisites for AI to acquire moral rights, assess the feasibility of such rights, and propose a comprehensive regime for AI moral rights, adopting a doctrinal methodology to analyse pertinent academic perspectives, regulations, and cases.

The research is grounded in the assertion that the protection of AI moral rights is paramount and cannot be overshadowed by economic rights, as the exploitation of economic rights often intertwines with the author's moral interests. The study will explore the authorship qualification of AI and the originality of AIGC, focusing on AI systems based on neural network technology, capable of creating without human intervention through deep learning of human-supplied content.

The absence of legal protection for AI moral rights may lead to institutional shortcomings in the copyright protection of AIGC, potentially resulting in a significant disruption to the creative market and a plethora of AIGC with unknown authorship being placed in the public domain. This research contends that a thorough investigation into the protectability of AI moral rights is imperative and will propose a moral rights regime that aligns with the pertinent characteristics of AIGC.

By addressing the aforementioned research questions, this study aspires to propose practical and operative institutional recommendations to bridge the research gap in the academic community on AI moral rights, thereby contributing to the enrichment of the copyright theory of AIGC. The expected outcomes of this research are to provide insightful reflections and innovative solutions to the contemporary challenges posed by AI moral rights in the evolving landscape of intellectual property law.

Biography

Yiheng Lu is a doctoral researcher in Intellectual Property Law at Queen Mary Intellectual Property Research Institute, specializing in moral rights in relation to Artificial Intelligence-Generated Content (AIGC), under the supervision of Professor Johanna Gibson.

Yiheng obtained his Bachelor Degree in Electrical Engineering and Automation and a Bachelor Degree in Law with a focus on Intellectual Property Law from Nanjing Normal University, China. He then earned an LLM in Intellectual Property Law from The University of Manchester, UK, and an MSc in Power Systems Engineering from University College London, UK.

He has presented papers at numerous prestigious conferences, such as the Socio-Legal Studies Association Annual Conference and the Beihang University Vision Forum for International Scholars, contributing significantly to the discourse on AI and copyright law. Yiheng's interdisciplinary expertise bridges technology and law, positioning him at the forefront of research into the evolving relationship between AI innovation and intellectual property protection.

Publications and Conference Papers:

  • Yiheng Lu, ‘Reforming Copyright Law for AI-Generated Content: Copyright Protection, Authorship and Ownership’, Technology and Regulation, 2025, 81-95, 10.71265/chkr8w30, ISSN: 2666-139X
  • Yiheng Lu, ‘Between Turing and Searle: Rethinking the Legal Boundaries of AI-Generated Content [Distinction Paper Award]’ (2025), European Policy for Intellectual Property (EPIP) Annual Conference 2025, the University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
  • Yiheng Lu, ‘Collaborative Creativity and Legal Transparency: Building a Fair Authorship Model for Generative AI [Excellence Award]’ (2025), the 6th China-UK Forum of International Scholars in Manchester and 2025 Thematic Forum on Artificial Intelligence Applications, the Chinese Students and Scholars Association Manchester (CSSA-MAN), Education Section of the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Manchester, Manchester, England, United Kingdom
  • Yiheng Lu, ‘From Printing Press to Artificial Intelligence: Historical Triggers, Contemporary Challenges, and the Future of Copyright Reform’ (2025), The Socio-Legal Studies Association (SLSA) Annual Conference 2025, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
  • Yiheng Lu, ‘Reimagining Authorship for a Sustainable Future: Generative AI and the Evolution of Copyright Law’ (2025), Fifth Annual Law and Criminology Conference 2025 - ‘Sustainable Future: Reimagining Law and Justice System’, Lancaster University, Lancaster, England, United Kingdom
  • Yiheng Lu, ‘Blurred Boundaries of Authorship in AIGC: A Critical Inquiry into AI-Generated Creative Outputs’ (2024), The 16th Beihang University Vision Forum for International Scholars, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing, China
  • Yiheng Lu, ‘Bundle of Rights: Economic Rights and Moral Rights in EU Copyright Law’ (2024), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) Intellectual Property Intensive Programme 2024, European Union Intellectual Property Office, Alicante, Spain
  • Yiheng Lu, ‘Thermal Management of Electronic Devices using Bio-based Phase Change Materials Embedded in a Heat Sink [Best Thesis Award]’ (2024), the 18th UK Heat Transfer Conference, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
  • Chigozirim Victoria Onyeagbako and Yiheng Lu, ‘Examining Actors’ Welfare in AI-Generated Film Characters’ (2024), ‘Framing IP Rights in Legal, Economic, and Cultural Settings’ Conference, Institute of International Shipping and Trade Law, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom
  • Yiheng Lu, ‘Redefining Creativity in Copyright Law: A Critical Examination of AI-Generated Works through the Lens of the Turing Test and Chinese Room Argument’ (2024), the Socio-Legal Studies Association (SLSA) Annual Conference 2024, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, England, United Kingdom

Academic and Professional Positions:

  • Teaching Assistant (2025-2026), LAW4006 Land Law, School of Law, Queen Mary University of London, London, England, United Kingdom
  • Teaching Assistant (2025-2026), LAW5003/6056 Equity and Trusts, School of Law, Queen Mary University of London, London, England, United Kingdom
  • Secretary General (2025- ), Outstanding Young Scholars Society UK, London, England, United Kingdom
  • Teaching Assistant (2025) with Professor Johanna Gibson, SOLM087 The Business of Film, Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London, London, England, United Kingdom
  • Teaching Assistant (2025) with Professor Johanna Gibson, SOLM080 Intellectual Property and Fashion: Business and Law, Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London, London, England, United Kingdom
  • Teaching Assistant (2024-2025) with Professor Johanna Gibson, SOLM079 Intellectual Property and Fashion: Art and Culture, Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London, London, England, United Kingdom
  • Teaching Assistant (2024-2025) with Mr Florian Koempel, SOLM075 International and Comparative Copyright Law, Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London, London, England, United Kingdom
  • Assistant Editor (2024- ), Queen Mary Law Journal, Queen Mary University of London, London, England, United Kingdom
  • Member (2024- ), Socio-Legal Studies Association, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
  • Research Assistant (2023-2024) with Professor Johanna Gibson, Queen Mary Intellectual Property Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, England, United Kingdom
  • Conference Assistant (2023), the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, ExCeL London, London, England, United Kingdom
  • State-Sponsored Doctoral Scholar (2023-2027), the National Program for Sending Doctoral Students to Study Abroad to Build High

Please contact Yiheng Lu for a copy of their CV.

Research

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