phaedrus

Indeed, but I can’t use video games as an example in that time period

100% this, people say they understand AI is a buzzword, but don’t realize just how large of an umbrella that term actually is.

Enemy NPCs in video games back to the 80’s fall under AI.

In the very quote you pasted:

Newer versions of Mickey Mouse remain copyright-protected.

It’s only the version that was in those original cartoons that is public domain.