The rise of AI: a fifth of musicians’ earnings at risk

Technology is surely helpful nowadays for every aspect of our life, to connect with people, to listen to our favourite artists or to discover a new place to eat. But, according to the first worldwide economic analysis of AI’s impact on the creative industries, musicians may lose more than one-fifth of their earnings over the course of the next three years. The report’s findings, which highlight the urgent need for new legislation to safeguard their five million members and others, were made public by the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC). According to the report, if new regulations aren’t put in place, businesses will be able to continue creating AI music using human-generated content that isn’t well protected by copyright, and they would profit more than ever from it without having to provide any of it to artists.

Corporate profits may soar as a result, but by 2028, artists’ and other creative industry workers’ incomes may have dropped by more than 20%. It is anticipated that the global AI market will have grown from $3.1 billion to $67.7 billion by that time. How AI models are taught is the main point of contention in this case. When an artist’s work is accessed by a model, which then creates its own version of it, the AI’s owners own the entire new creation, and the artist whose work was used to train the AI has no ownership rights. Many artists disagree as they are subject to having their work used and reused without receiving a portion of the revenues. Current CISAC president Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA noted impending legislation in Australia and New Zealand, which he claimed (via the Guardian) was the type of legislation required to shield creatives worldwide from the threat of being left behind.

By setting a gold standard in AI policy – one that protects creators’ rights while fostering responsible and innovative technological development – Australia and New Zealand can ensure that AI serves as a tool to enhance human creativity rather than replace it. The world is watching, and the decisions made will resonate far beyond these shores. Bjorn Ulvaeus

It’s creators who stand to lose the most. Our industry thrives on human creativity … [G]overnments need to take the lead and act decisively to protect the livelihoods of creators and the future of our creative industries. Dean Ormston of Apra Amcos