ARIA and PPCA reject assertions in the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence Interim Report

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and the Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA) reject the assertion made on live TV this morning, in which Joint Parliamentary Committee for AI Co-Chairs Jo Briskey and Jono Duniam told Australians that Australian copyright law isn't working and that Australian creators will miss out for AI unless we overhaul our copyright law.

ARIA and PPCA CEO, Annabelle Herd, said: “The statement made by the Co-Chairs of the Parliamentary Committee is wrong. Moreover, it ignores substantial evidence provided to the Committee.

“Australian copyright law gives creators control. It is the only thing standing between major American AI companies and unchecked access to the world’s content right here from Australia.”

ARIA’s submission and evidence to the Committee listed 18 major global AI deals that already exist between AI companies and the music industry. Since that submission, nine more have been made and many more are in the works. Local record labels and the artists they represent are part of these deals. That includes Australian-headquartered companies.

Ms Herd continued: “The deals being done now prove global licensing works. That is how artists and rightsholders retain control and negotiate terms including remuneration. Record labels and music publishers have also brought copyright infringement action against AI companies for copyright infringement in the US. That is how enforcement works, it occurs in the jurisdiction where the infringing copying occurs. We are not asking the Australian parliament to solve overseas piracy by AI companies.

“The Committee seems to have ignored this evidence and that of other rightsholder representatives to support the convenient argument that our law must be changed to suit AI companies, otherwise Australian artists will miss out,” Ms Herd said.

“Voluntary licensing is how creators will retain control and be remunerated when AI exploits their work for commercial gain. Australian and international record labels are already negotiating and signing AI licensing deals. It is early days, but the licensing market is developing at pace.

“None of that is reflected in the Committee’s response”.

“The evidence is clear that this is not a market failure. It is a failure to acknowledge the market that already exists.

“Why would AI companies do deals in Australia while they are confidently pressuring our Parliament to secure a change in our copyright law that means they won’t ever have to?”