Australian music industry bodies APRA AMCOS and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music Office (NATSIMO) have welcomed the federal government’s new draft of AI regulations, which was introduced today. As part of the proposed regulations, the Australian government seeks mandatory guardrails for transparency on datasets used in AI systems.
The Australian government’s proposed regulatory system is set to include protections surrounding defamation or other significant effects on artists or within the Australian economy, “society, environment and [the] rule of law, which would include copyright.”
In addition to seeking transparency, the proposed regulations will consider the adverse risks that AI poses to groups of individuals or the collective rights of cultural groups. APRA AMCOS and NATSIMO are in agreement that it’s “critical” to protect Indigenous Cultural Intellectual Property (ICIP) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Last month, APRA AMCOS shared a report detailing the “potentially devastating impact” of AI in music.
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Dean Ormston, the CEO of APRA AMCOS, said that the federal government’s proposed “regulatory milestone” is a “critical step forward” in implementing solutions that will protect the rights and livelihoods of music industry creatives and ensure a fair, more sustainable industry.
“The introduction of mandatory transparency requirements would be a significant victory for our industry and has the potential to bring Australia into line with [the] European Union and other international jurisdictions that value the economic, social and cultural importance of their arts, relative industries and communities,” Ormston said.
Ormston added, “If implemented, these measures have the potential to compel AI platforms and developers to disclose the origin and composition of datasets used to train their systems.
“With this level of disclosure, artists, creators and rightsholders can level the playing field and negotiate appropriate agreements and ensure that their intellectual property is only used with the appropriate levels of consent, credit and remuneration.”
Adding that the draft regulations are “just the beginning,” Ormston stated that for the guardrails and transparency obligations to be effective, they must be applied to all AI services available in Australia. “This is a global industry and sanctions for non-compliance must also be imposed on platforms based overseas but operating in Australia to avoid unfair competition against local services who want to play by the rules,” Ormston said.
Leah Flanagan, the Director of NATSIMO, added: “The rise of AI technology presents serious risks to the cultural and economic wellbeing of Indigenous communities. The APRA AMCOS report into AI found that 89% of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander songwriters and composers surveyed believe that AI has the potential to lead to cultural appropriation.
“While government efforts have begun to address the unauthorised use of ICIP in arts and crafts, particularly in mass-produced items, this work must focus quickly to include all areas of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural creation.
“We encourage government to look to systems of cultural permission within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities as a blueprint for the use of Indigenous cultural intellectual property within AI.”
