Australian Arts and Media Groups Demand Government Action on AI Content Theft

Australian Arts and Media Groups Demand Government Action on AI Content Theft
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A coalition of Australian arts, creative, and media organizations is urging the federal government to take a firm stance against what they describe as the “rampant theft” of Australian content to train artificial intelligence (AI), The Guardian reported.

In a united front, groups including the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), Apra Amcos, and the Australian Publishers Association (APA) are demanding that the government commit to not changing copyright law to allow big tech companies to use their content for AI training without providing compensation.

The pushback comes in response to suggestions from a Productivity Commission report, which had raised the possibility of an exemption for “text and data mining” and an expansion of fair dealing rules. The organizations warn that such changes would “sell out” Australian workers and undermine existing licensing agreements, with the potential to severely harm industries such as the country’s $9 billion music industry.

They argue that creators’ work is their property and should not be exploited by wealthy tech companies for commercial gain without proper payment.