Government Eyes AI Copyright Shift as Artists Organize

More than 150 musicians and groups are launching the Artists Alliance of Australia to oppose proposed copyright changes that could let AI companies train models on Australian music, books, movies and art without artists’ permission or payment. The proposed framework puts the decision-making power over creative work in a familiar place: with technology companies, unless the government keeps the existing permission requirement.

Artists organize against the change

“The Government is considering changes to copyright law that would remove Australian artists' right to decide how their work is used by AI,” said Holly Rankin, known as Jack River, who founded the alliance with indie artist Kristy Lee Peters, known as KLP. “This is an existential threat to our business and livelihood.” Rankin said the alliance would make sure artists’ voices reached the government and the public understood the stakes.

Rankin added: “If Albo chooses big tech's interests over Australian artists, I think some names will be coming off the guest list for gigs.” The warning turns the government’s own public-facing culture—Prime Minister selfies with artists—into a point of pressure. The report said those selfies with KLP, Amy Shark and Jack River could become a thing of the past if the copyright changes went ahead.

The alliance says it will educate musicians about risks to copyright protections and give them a “loud voice” in opposing the changes. Peters said many artists didn’t know what discussions were underway. “Half of the problem right now is a lot of artists aren't aware of the types of discussions going on and we want to know what they think about it and make sure we give them a loud voice,” she said.

Peters said the founders wanted artists represented alongside media companies and bodies such as ARIA and APRA. She said the founders went to Canberra in July and met with Tony Burke. “We went to Canberra in July and we were all in Tony Burke's office and he told us to our faces this wouldn't happen and now they're backflipping,” Peters said. “It feels like there was some gaslighting going on and creating AAA will let artists know what's happening and what they can do to be heard.”

Permission, or an opt-out after the fact

One option under consideration would require creatives to “opt out” of having their work used to train AI. That would replace a system requiring technology companies to seek permission and pay rights holders directly. Under the proposed opt-out approach, artists would have to act to keep their work out of training datasets rather than companies securing permission first.

The report said the Prime Minister and Arts Minister had previously assured artists they wouldn’t yield to big tech demands to weaken copyright laws in exchange for investment in Australian data centres. The government is now developing a new framework. Those assurances and the framework are the two sides of the dispute; the alliance says it’s not too late to stop any weakening of protections.

The founders said they remained positive. A statement quoted in the report warned: “But if the government goes through with selling us out to the AI companies, I think it will be hard for them to recover from that position. This is just the beginning.”

Support beyond the music industry

A poll commissioned by ARIA and reported that week found 78 per cent of Australians would keep the requirement for AI companies to get permission before using Australian creative work, even if some AI companies chose not to train their models in Australia. Artists and supporters can join the alliance online.

Bernard Fanning, Kate Ceberano, Gordi, Paul Dempsey, G Flip, Matt Corby, Katie Noonan, Ben Lee, Lime Cordiale, Peking Duk, Troy Cassar-Daley and Sneaky Sound System were among the alliance’s first members. Fanning said: “artists contribute a great deal to this country. This is an exciting day for the future of our culture and for generations of artists to come.”