"It’s crucial that individual creators get to decide whether their works are used to train AI systems". Image credit: Shutterstock.
Björn Ulvaeus, Billy Bragg, Nitin Sawhney CBE, and AURORA are among over 10,500 musicians, composers, writers and actors who’ve signed a statement warning artificial intelligence (AI) companies about the unlicensed use of creative works.
The statement was also signed by music industry umbrella body and publishers of the This is Music report, UK Music. The MU is a founding member of UK Music, and the decision to sign the letter was taken by its board, on which the union has a seat.
An unjust threat to artists’ livelihoods
The statement says: “The unlicensed use of creative works for training generative AI is a major, unjust threat to the livelihoods of the people behind those works, and must not be permitted.”
The statement invites supporters to add their name and profession to the public list of signatories.
Explicit creator consent is essential
Responding to the statement’s publication, MU General Secretary Naomi Pohl said: “It’s crucial that individual creators get to decide whether their works are used to train AI systems.
“There should be no blanket licensing without explicit creator consent and agreement on fair remuneration. Just because AI developers want their models trained on entire music catalogues in order to create new works, doesn’t mean they should be gifted that right without individual consent and fair payment.
“The MU is fighting alongside other creator and performer bodies to ensure fair treatment of our members from the outset.”
Music makers music be fairly compensated for the use of their work
In an official post on Twitter/X, the Council of Music Makers (CMM) said: “CMM wholeheartedly endorses this statement. To be clear, the people behind the music are the music-makers.
“It is paramount that explicit consent is sought from music-makers before their music is used to train AI – including by rightsholders when negotiating licensing deals with AI companies – and music-makers must be fairly compensated from use of their work in this way.”
The MU is a member of the Council of Music Makers, alongside other trade bodies including the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC), Ivors Academy, Music Managers Forum and Music Producers Guild.