A new market research study commissioned by Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) highlights a concerning trend among corporate executives regarding copyright awareness and potential violations. According to the findings of the 2025 Copyrighted Content Usage Trends study, which was conducted by Outsell, Inc., a research and advisory firm specializing in the data, information, and analytics sectors, senior decision-makers in organizations are more likely to expose their companies to copyright risks than middle management or individual contributors.
The study found that executive-level respondents had the highest levels of copyright awareness but also reported nearly three times as many potential copyright violations compared to middle management and seven times as many violations compared to individual contributors. This discrepancy underscores the significant compliance risks posed by senior leaders, who are often responsible for broader content dissemination within their organizations.
Key findings from the study also highlighted the intersection of AI adoption and copyright concerns. While the use of AI tools has surged across industries, with some sectors reporting adoption rates as high as 97%, only 77% of respondents indicated they were aware of their organization's copyright policies. Furthermore, only 62% were aware that these policies extend to the use of third-party content in AI systems. This gap in awareness suggests that many organizations may be inadvertently violating copyright rules in their adoption of AI technologies.
The study also tracked changes in how employees share work-related content, revealing a shift away from traditional methods like email. The percentage of respondents using email to share work-related information dropped from 41% in 2022 to 34% in 2024. Conversely, collaboration tools such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Google Workspace have become increasingly popular, with 38% of respondents citing these tools as their preferred method of communication, up from 33% in 2022.
CCC, a leading advocate for global copyright awareness, is committed to helping businesses navigate the complexities of copyright law and AI usage. In July 2024, the organization launched the availability of AI rights for internal corporate use within its Annual Copyright License (ACL), an enterprise-wide content licensing solution. This license enables businesses to obtain harmonized internal-use rights from a broad range of content providers, ensuring that companies remain compliant while leveraging third-party content in their AI systems.
The 2025 Copyrighted Content Usage Trends study, conducted by Outsell, offers valuable insights into the behaviors of corporate knowledge workers in relation to content consumption, sharing, and copyright policy compliance. With more data-driven insights into how industries are engaging with copyrighted materials, CCC continues to lead efforts in promoting copyright education, integrity, and licensing solutions across the global business landscape.
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