CreativeAI PhD Studentship: Copyright, AI and the Future of Creativity

This project is part of our CreativeAI studentships (2026-29) that explore the rapidly evolving relationship between creativity and artificial intelligence (AI), consider what AI does for creativity and what creativity does for AI. The Centre for Digital Humanities, Cultures and Media (DHCM) will serve as the intellectual and organizational home with members already working at the intersection of AI, creativity, society, and culture. The project Copyright, AI and the Future of Creativity will be based in the Department of Law.

Key features of this studentship:

• Receive a fully funded studentship covering tuition fees and an annual stipend at the UKRI rate (£21,805 per year) for 3.5 years.
• Research Training and Support Grant (RTSG): £3,000 total over 3.5 years.
• CreativeAI studentship methods training and cohort-building activities.

Project details

CreativeAI is an interdisciplinary research project that examines the relationship between creativity and artificial intelligence (AI). As part of this project, we are inviting applications for a fully funded PhD studentship focusing on the copyright implications of creative AI.  

Artists, creators, and businesses increasingly use AI to produce works that have traditionally been created by humans – including visual art, literature, music, and film. As generative AI systems are becoming more sophisticated, they are redefining existing creative practices and industry operations, with significant socio-economic implications.  

At the same time, generative AI poses some fundamental challenges for copyright theory and practice. This includes questions concerning copyright infringement and relevant exceptions, particularly where AI systems – such as ChatGPT and Midjourney – are trained on protected works. Are the existing legal principles adequate in this context? How can we ensure that we protect the interests of artists and the creative industries? Other key questions concern copyright subsistence and authorship – areas of the law that have traditionally developed with human creators in mind. For example, should machine-generated output be subject to copyright? What degree of human involvement is necessary for copyright to subsist? Who should be the owner of these works?  

Amid the lack of legal certainty in this area, we would like to invite PhD proposals that critically examine the copyright implications of creative AI. Possible areas of enquiry may include (but are not limited to):

• Authorship and the protection of AI-generated works;
• Generative AI and copyright infringement;
• The impact of generative AI on the labour, reward, and autonomy granting functions of copyright as a property right. 

We would particularly welcome proposals that investigate the issue from an interdisciplinary perspective. Applicants may adopt a variety of methodological approaches (e.g. doctrinal, socio-legal, empirical, comparative, law and economics, historical, and theoretical approaches).  

The successful candidate will be based at The University of Manchester. They will join an interdisciplinary team of researchers and, depending on the focus of their project, will have the opportunity to work with academics from a range of different fields, including Law, Arts and Cultures, Computer Science, and Business. 

Academic Criteria:

• Bachelor's (Honours) degree in Law (or a cognate subject) at 2.1 or above (or overseas equivalent), or professional experience/qualifications; and
• Master's degree in Law (or a relevant subject) with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation and no mark below 55% (or overseas equivalent), or professional experience/qualifications.' 

English Language:

All applicants must provide evidence of English language proficiency:

• IELTS test minimum score - 7.0 overall, 7.0 in writing, 6.5 in other sections.
• TOEFL (internet based) test minimum score - 100 overall, 25 all sections.
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) UKVI/SELT or PTE Academic minimum score - 76 overall, 76 in writing, 70 in other sections.
• To demonstrate that you have taken an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a majority English speaking nation within the last 5 years.

The application deadline will be Midnight (GMT) Thursday 30 April. 

Apply online for PhD Law Programme at The University of Manchester. 

Under Section 6 Research Details select ‘Yes’ to Are you applying for an advertised project.  Insert the project title as stated. It is recommended when entering the name of the supervisor to simply enter this and not use the supervisor search function. 

Please indicate in Section 9 Funding Sources your intention to apply for the Humanities CreativeAI studentship. 

Please ensure all required supporting documents are included at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered. A PhD Proposal is not required. 

Formal interviews: Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 11 May 2026. 

• If you wish to discuss this project further, please contact Dr Plamen Dinev at plamen.dinev@manchester.ac.uk 
• If you have any queries about the admissions process, please contact our admissions team at hums.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk