A U.K. parliamentary committee is calling on the British government to introduce tough new laws that would make it illegal for developers to use copyright-protected music for training purposes without consent – and protect creators and artists from the unauthorized use of their voice and image in AI-generated works.
Under current law, the United Kingdom stands apart as one of the few jurisdictions that lacks explicit protection for individuals’ likeness, voice and image with the closest equivalent being a legal concept known as “passing off,” which protects a persons’ image or name from unauthorized commercial use, says. “Consequently, it’s no surprise that the creative industry is now pushing for the establishment of this new right.
Those proposals were quietly shelved by the government the following year but progress on any form of U.K. legislation governing the use of AI has been slow and remains at the consultation stage. “The U.K. must grasp the transformative potential of AI in shaping the future of music if it is to retain its role as a powerhouse in exporting music and nurturing world-class talent,” said APPG on Music chairBrennan said the government needs to “confront the danger that unfettered developments in AI could pose to the U.K.’s musicians and music businesses” and ensure that “AI serves as a catalyst” for progress in the industry rather than “a destroyer of creators’ livelihoods.
The MU said it was “vital” that any future licensing scheme governing the use of copyright-protected works to train AI systems requires the “clear, explicit consent” of individual creators, as opposed to just the label or publisher rights holders.