CC signals

On June 25, 2025, Creative Commons (CC) announced the public kickoff of the CC signals project. This is a proposed framework to help content stewards express how they want their works used in AI training. Content stewards also include, among others, scientists generating data. The project emphasizes reciprocity, recognition, and sustainability in machine reuse.

Creative Commons licenses helped build the open web. CC signals are designed to sustain the commons in the age of AI. They are tools built for machine and human readability, and are flexible across legal, technical, and normative contexts. They do not aim to limit or restrict use but instead asking for something in return. Four “signal elements” have been drafted: “Credit”, “Direct Contribution”, “Ecosystem Contribution” and “Open”. The goal is to preserve open knowledge by promoting responsible AI behavior without limiting innovation.

The project is currently in the prototype phase. Its ambition is to create a widely recognized and functional system to address emerging situations (and relationships) brought about by AI. The authors encourage the spreading of information, feedback, and any kind of engagement or support for the CC signals project.

More information

Introducing CC signals and an update

CC signals on the CC website

You can get involved through the CC signals GitHub repository, where you can read about the technical implementation of CC signals, join the discussion to share feedback and submit an issue for any suggested direct edits.

From Human Content to Machine Data: Introducing CC Signal publication