MU General Secretary, Naomi Pohl, joined UK Music’s demo today, ahead of Parliament's debate on the Data (Use and Access) Bill. Photo: ©The MU.
Earlier this year, the Government held a consultation on a proposed exception to UK copyright law. While the proposal included transparency requirements for AI developers, it would also allow them to train their systems on copyright-protected music without obtaining consent from, or making any payment to, the music creators or rights holders.
The proposal is strongly opposed by the MU and other music creator and rightsholder groups.
The Government’s proposed exception does include the option for an opt-out, but it is unclear who will have the ability to affect such an opt out, or how effective it would be in practice in preventing AI training.
The MU's position is that copyright law should be strengthened
Alongside our fellow music creator representatives from the Council of Music Makers (CMM), the MU’s position is that there should be no new exception, and that copyright law should be strengthened to provide additional rights to creators and performers.
AI systems should not be trained on copyright-protected music without specific consent from the music’s creators, and meaningful compensation being paid to them in return.
In addition to opposing the proposed exception, the CMM argues that broad, catch-all contracts historically signed between music creators and their chosen rights holders - such as record labels and publishers - should not give those rights holders the authority to act on the creators’ behalf when it comes to AI training.
The wide-ranging, potentially negative effect of generative AI on our members’ rights and future career prospects was not envisaged when our members signed those contracts. We therefore believe new consent must be sought before any company trains AI on their music, or licenses another company to do so.
Photo: ©UK Music
A need for transparency when training AI
Today, Parliament will debate the Data (Use and Access) Bill, along with several amendments proposed by Victoria Collins MP and Alex Sobel MP, which call for the introduction of transparency measures related to AI training.
Transparency around works used to train AI would be a first step towards ensuring proper licensing and remuneration mechanisms for musicians and other creator groups.
Read the CMM’s full position on AI.