It may be necessary to disclose AI use in a copyright registration application even if you have made significant changes to the AI-generated content, if the AI-generated content was not de minimis. Copyright may be claimed in significant modifications that a human makes to AI-generated output. Copyright may also be claimed in a human’s selection, coordination and arrangement of AI-generated output. In these cases, however, the applicant still must identify and describe the AI-generated output and the human contribution, i.e., the modifications, selection, coordination and arrangement of it, as applicable.
Think of AI-generated output as works that are in the public domain. It is possible to own a copyright in a compilation of public domain works or in a derivative work based on public domain material. You must disclose and disclaim rights in the public domain material when you apply to register a copyright in the compilation or a derivative work based on the public domain material. In the same way, you must disclose and disclaim rights in AI-generated output when you apply to register a copyright in a compilation or derivative work based on it