The music industry urged the government on Wednesday to address the unauthorized use of music by generative AI systems. This move aims to pave the way for a licensing system within the industry. Representatives from music industry groups presented their case before the House of Commons heritage committee, which is currently examining the impact of AI on creative sectors.
The industry contends that the unauthorized utilization of music constitutes theft and emphasized the need for copyright protection. They also called for increased transparency requirements regarding AI systems’ incorporation of copyrighted materials. Jennifer Brown, the CEO of the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), advocated for mandatory disclosure of copyrighted works ingested and stored by AI companies to enable fair negotiations and proof of usage.
Brown highlighted the necessity for transparency, stating that it would create a level playing field for rights holders and ensure acknowledgment when their works are utilized. She emphasized that a successful strategy would foster a thriving licensing market where the advantages of AI are equitably shared among key contributors to its advancement.
Music Canada, representing major music labels, urged the government to recognize unauthorized use as copyright infringement. CEO Patrick Rogers drew parallels to the past prevalence of music piracy before the transition to licensed online music services. He likened the current AI environment to the early Napster era, stressing the need to progress towards a model akin to iTunes to facilitate streaming.
Margaret McGuffin, CEO of Music Publishers Canada, highlighted the existing licensing frameworks within the music industry, including arrangements for platforms like TikTok and Instagram. McGuffin emphasized the industry’s expertise in licensing and called for extending these practices to AI companies.
During the committee session, McGuffin raised concerns over extensive content scraping by tech giants, asserting that numerous Canadian songwriter creations have been scraped without consent, credit, or compensation by AI entities.
