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In a world where art illustrations are being copied left and right by AI what is stopping the exact same thing to happen to typefaces? (And with it any license

In a world where art illustrations are being copied left and right by AI what is stopping the exact same thing to happen to typefaces? (And with it any license inconveniences)

Kerrick 1y ago
The design of typefaces aren’t copyrighted in the U.S. The only thing that is protected is the software: TTFs, OTFs, etc. [1] That’s why so many clones of popular fonts (and old metal type) exist. These days the value in a font isn’t in the letterforms, it’s in the kerning, ligatures, variability, etc. which all flows from the software. It’s also where a significant amount of the labor in creating a typeface comes from. And it’s the thing that sets apart professional-quality fonts from many (but not all!) free ones. If AI can write new font software by cloning bitmaps of letterforms _and_ get the kerning, ligatures, variability, etc. right… it’ll change the type foundry industry in a big way. [1]: https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ33.pdf https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ33.pdf
- EvanAnderson 1y ago
  I see a project in there to generate kerning, hinting, etc, by rending text with commercial fonts then building a model against the rendered text.
- WillAdams 1y ago
  A recent doctoral thesis which looks at this: https://lttrface.com/doctoral-thesis https://lttrface.com/doctoral-thesis Video from a talk from the ATD3 conference in Nancy which briefly explains the thesis https://vimeo.com/1059759506 https://vimeo.com/1059759506
- lcmchris 1y ago
  I'm actively working on this with Fontweaver.com. I do absolutely think integrating into the deeper features and functionality of fonts and opentype is what will make it work! Making it work well with existing font design software is also super important for typedesigners.
- jojomodding 1y ago
  What are some high-quality free fonts that get kerning etc. right?
  - xigoi 1y ago
    https://beautifulwebtype.com/ https://beautifulwebtype.com/

In a world where art illustrations are being copied left and right by AI what is stopping the exact same thing to happen to typefaces? (And with it any license inconveniences)

Kerrick 1y ago

The design of typefaces aren’t copyrighted in the U.S. The only thing that is protected is the software: TTFs, OTFs, etc. [1] That’s why so many clones of popular fonts (and old metal type) exist. These days the value in a font isn’t in the letterforms, it’s in the kerning, ligatures, variability, etc. which all flows from the software. It’s also where a significant amount of the labor in creating a typeface comes from. And it’s the thing that sets apart professional-quality fonts from many (but not all!) free ones. If AI can write new font software by cloning bitmaps of letterforms _and_ get the kerning, ligatures, variability, etc. right… it’ll change the type foundry industry in a big way. [1]: https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ33.pdf https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ33.pdf

EvanAnderson 1y ago
I see a project in there to generate kerning, hinting, etc, by rending text with commercial fonts then building a model against the rendered text.
WillAdams 1y ago
A recent doctoral thesis which looks at this: https://lttrface.com/doctoral-thesis https://lttrface.com/doctoral-thesis Video from a talk from the ATD3 conference in Nancy which briefly explains the thesis https://vimeo.com/1059759506 https://vimeo.com/1059759506
lcmchris 1y ago
I'm actively working on this with Fontweaver.com. I do absolutely think integrating into the deeper features and functionality of fonts and opentype is what will make it work! Making it work well with existing font design software is also super important for typedesigners.
jojomodding 1y ago
What are some high-quality free fonts that get kerning etc. right?
- xigoi 1y ago
  https://beautifulwebtype.com/ https://beautifulwebtype.com/