IFRRO Survey: Over 90% of Authors and Publishers Say Generative AI Has Cut Their Earnings

By Dafa Attas

Photo: Bacho Grigolia / Pexels

The International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations (IFRRO) published a new study this week on how generative AI is affecting the text and image sector. The report, The Legal, Policy, and Market Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Text- and Image-Based Works, was prepared with copyright scholar Eleonora Rosati. It combines a legal review with a 2026 global survey of nearly 2,000 authors, publishers and rights organisations.

What respondents said

According to IFRRO's summary, as reported by Publishing Perspectives on 29 October 2026:

• More than 90% agree that generative AI has directly and negatively affected rightsholders' earnings.
• More than 75% believe AI will displace creative workers.
• 96% say the current copyright framework does not protect them adequately.
• More than half think AI-specific licences would greatly improve their economic situation.

The study's conclusions

The report argues that large-scale use of protected works without consent, transparency or payment is neither legally nor economically sustainable. It sets out three conditions for responsible AI development: rightsholders must be able to control and consent to the use of their works, established copyright principles must be applied in practice, and there must be real transparency at both the training and the output stages. IFRRO plans a webinar on 23 November where Rosati will present the findings.

Why it matters

Survey results are not court findings, and the respondents are rightsholders with a clear stake in the outcome. Still, the numbers add to the evidence that courts and lawmakers are weighing as they consider market harm in AI training disputes, and they strengthen the push for collective licensing models for AI. Reproduction rights organisations are likely to use the study in policy talks in Europe, Asia and elsewhere.

Sources

• Publishing Perspectives, "IFRRO Releases New Study on AI, Copyright Issues" (29 October 2026)
• IPWatchdog, "Other Barks & Bites for Friday, October 30" (30 October 2026)
• The Publishing Times, "IFRRO Study: 92% Say Generative AI Has Cut Earnings"