This avoids a damaging change that would have allowed AI companies to use the works of songwriters and composers without their permission.
But the work is far from done. The UK government must now deliver a framework where AI companies license creative works with authorisation from creators, pay fair remuneration and provide transparency to creators and listeners alike. It must also introduce new personality rights to protect songwriters and composers from AI-generated replicas of their voices and identities.
Roberto Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy, said: “We welcome the UK government’s decision to not move forwards with a new text and data mining exception and listen to the 88% the respondents to its consultation who called for stronger copyright and licensing.
Avoiding the worst outcome is the first step. The government’s renewed focus on creator control and transparency, digital replicas, and the labelling of AI-generated content puts songwriters and composers where they should be - at the heart of this debate. We’re committed to working with the government to ensure that AI companies license music, pay creators fairly with the authorisation and transparency they are due, and introduce new personality rights to protect songwriters and composer from deepfakes and digital replicas.”
This announcement follows serious concerns raised across the creative industries during the government’s consultation on AI and copyright. Songwriters, composers and other creators made clear that copyright must be protected and that licensing should remain the foundation for how creative works are used by AI systems.
We will now take part in the four government work programmes examining digital replicas, labelling, creator control and transparency, and independent creatives. These discussions will play an important role in shaping how generative AI interacts with music and other creative works.
We will continue to campaign for a clear framework for generative AI that requires licensing with authorisation, remuneration and transparency for songwriters and composers. Ensuring creators are properly recognised, protected and paid must remain central to the development of AI technologies.
