AI Output Ownership Comparison: ChatGPT vs Claude vs Midjourney vs Copilot

📊 Full Comparison Table

Feature	🟣 Claude	🟢 ChatGPT	🎨 Midjourney	💻 Copilot	🔍 Perplexity
Output Ownership	✓ You ownAssigned to you	✓ You ownExplicit assignment	⚠️ Paid onlyFree = MJ owns	✓ You ownYour code	✓ You ownAssigned to you
Commercial Use	✓ AllowedAll plans	✓ AllowedAll plans	⚠️ Paid only$1M+ needs Pro	✓ AllowedBusiness/Enterprise	✓ AllowedAll plans
Free Tier Commercial	✓ Yes	✓ Yes	✗ NoCC BY-NC only	⚠️ Individual only	✓ Yes
Training Data Opt-Out	✓ Default offPro plans	⚠️ Team/EnterpriseConsumer: limited	⚠️ Pro/MegaStealth mode	✓ Business plans	⚠️ Varies
Output Exclusivity	✗ Non-exclusiveSimilar outputs possible	✗ Non-exclusiveOthers may get same	✗ Non-exclusivePublic by default	✗ Non-exclusiveCommon patterns	✗ Non-exclusiveSearch-based
Copyright Status	⚠️ UncertainNeeds human authorship	⚠️ UncertainNeeds human authorship	⚠️ UncertainUSCO denied registration	⚠️ UncertainVaries by modification	⚠️ UncertainNeeds human authorship
Platform License	⚠️ Service improvement	⚠️ Training by default	⚠️ Broad license	✓ Minimal	⚠️ Service use
API Terms Different	✓ YesBetter protections	✓ YesNo training default	N/ANo public API	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
Enterprise Custom Terms	✓ Available	✓ Available	✗ No	✓ Available	✓ Available
Output Type	Text, Code	Text, Code, Images	Images only	Code only	Text (search synthesis)

⚡ Most Permissive: ChatGPT & Claude

Both OpenAI and Anthropic explicitly assign output ownership to users with clear commercial rights. The language is straightforward: you own what the AI creates in response to your prompts.

⚠️ Watch Out: Midjourney Free Tier

Midjourney is the only major platform where free users DON'T own their outputs. If you've created images during a free trial and want to use them commercially, you must upgrade.

🏛️ Copyright Remains Uncertain

Across ALL platforms, traditional copyright protection is questionable. The US Copyright Office has indicated AI outputs without "sufficient human authorship" aren't copyrightable.

🔒 Training Opt-Out Varies

For confidential work, check training data policies. Claude Pro and ChatGPT Enterprise/Team offer opt-out by default. Consumer tiers often use your data for training.

The Bottom Line

All major AI platforms now give users ownership of outputs, but the details matter. Free tiers have limitations, copyright protection is uncertain, and platforms retain licenses to use your content in various ways.

For Text/Writing

ChatGPT or Claude

For Images/Art

Midjourney (Paid)

For Code

GitHub Copilot

For Research

Perplexity