Artificial Intelligence and the Music Industry

Tech firms should not be able to use your music to train their artificial intelligence (AI) models without your consent.

Big tech companies want to use songs, recordings and other creative works to train their AI models for commercial purposes without asking or paying the original creators or rights holders.

The MU is fighting for for consent, credit and fair compensation for all creators for the use of their work to train AI models.

There are 4 things government can do to protect musicians and music creators right now

1. Consent: tech firms should be legally required to get explicit consent from human creators to use their works to train AI models
2. Labelling: AI-generated works should be clearly labelled so people can choose what they listen to
3. Remuneration: composers and performers should be guaranteed a fair share of the revenue from AI-generated music
4. AI laws: AI firms should be required to keep a published and regularly updated record of the works they have used for training so that composers and performers can find out if their work has been used and take action; this must be combined with a clear obligation on AI firms to be receptive, fast-acting and proactive in confirming that action has been taken.

As a founder member of the Council of Music Makers, we also endorse their Five Fundamentals for Music and AI.

The MU has been lobbying and campaigning for changes to copyright and new protections so that you have a say on how your work is used.

Over the last year, we have:

• Raised AI and copyright with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner
• Lobbied the Chancellor, Ministers and MPs on strengthening copyright in AI and music
• Secured Labour policy commitments on music and AI at Labour Party Conferences and in their manifesto via Labour’s National Policy Forum
• Supported the TUC to release the Artificial Intelligence for Creative Workers Manifesto
• Ran actions around government consultations on AI exceptions under Conservative and Labour governments
• Appeared on BBC News and in other media to spotlight the impact of AI on musicians and music creators
• Submitted and spoke on motions at trade union conferences across the UK
• Supported academic and music industry research to assess the current and future impacts of AI
• Signed an open letter from the Creators’ Rights Alliance to AI tech companies.

Support the campaign to change AI law and regulate AI-generated music 

Watch and share our latest video on consent and fair pay from generative AI training:

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