Source: Musicians' Union

Summary
The Musicians’ Union voices caution regarding the UK government’s consultation on AI and copyright, emphasizing the potential risks to artists’ livelihoods and creative rights. While the Union supports discussions on modernizing copyright laws, it stresses the need for robust protections to ensure musicians and creators are fairly compensated when their works are used to train AI models.

The Union is concerned that current proposals may not adequately address the imbalance of power between large tech firms and individual creators. Musicians fear that AI systems trained on copyrighted materials could diminish their earnings and creative control if licensing frameworks fail to provide adequate safeguards.

A central demand of the Union is for compulsory licensing models that guarantee royalties and clear attribution for creators. Additionally, the Union calls for greater transparency in how copyrighted content is used during AI training, urging the government to prioritize ethical and equitable practices.

The consultation marks a critical juncture for the music industry, with AI posing both opportunities for innovation and challenges to traditional copyright structures. The Musicians’ Union plans to submit detailed feedback to ensure its members’ rights are upheld in the evolving digital landscape.