As the voice of songwriters and composers, we welcome the Government’s initial findings from the Copyright and AI consultation. The results are unequivocal and provide a clear course of action: 88% of the creative industries agree with our position that copyright should be strengthened and that licensing should be required in all cases.
The answer is simple: songwriters and composers must retain control over how and when their work is used and be paid fairly.
This is the only option that protects songwriters and composers and demands respect for the true value of the song and composition.
In our submission to the consultation, we argued that:
- A copyright exception would fundamentally undermine a key principle of UK copyright law and the nature of exclusive rights.
- A rights reservation system would be impractical and damaging, particularly for self-published songwriters and composers.
- Greater transparency, clear labelling and stronger personality rights are essential to protect authors.
Next year, we look forward to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, working jointly with the Intellectual Property Office and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to publish their report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI systems and in relation to AI outputs.
We will continue to work with the Government to ensure that the voice of songwriters and composers remains at the heart of the AI debate.
