Credit: Liv Fletcher via Unsplash
A proposal by the Productivity Commission to change copyright law to allow AI to freely mine content without payment has met with strong opposition from owners.
Australia can unlock the benefits of data and digital technology with a growth-focused approach to regulating AI, according to the interim report of a new commission inquiry.
And this would mean amending the Copyright Act to include a fair dealing exception that would cover text and data mining without permission from copyright owners.
“The harm is real with Australia being asked to trade away our cultural, social and economic sovereignty despite no genuine evidence that Australia’s copyright laws are stifling innovation or investment,” said News Corp Australasia executive chairman Michael Miller.
“Australia’s copyright laws are enforceable and fit-for-purpose to protect intellectual property in the age of AI.
“No other industry gets the right to steal other people’s products for their own benefit and nor should big tech.”
In response to big tech’s view that they should have open access to content and intellectual property, Miller said: “If big tech wants free and open access to other people’s intellectual property are they prepared to give us free and open access to theirs?
“Surely the greatest boon for start up tech innovators would be to have access to big tech’s algorithms? I look forward to them making that concession.”
Music owners called the proposal to create a new fair dealing exception in the Copyright Act for text and data mining “ill-considered and contrary” to Australia’s best interests.
Australian Recording Industry Association and Phonographic Performance Company of Australia CEO, Annabelle Herd, said granting technology companies unrestricted access to exploit generations of Australian artistic and cultural output will decimate the value of creative industries and place creators at a disadvantage internationally.
“Australia’s existing copyright law is the foundation of the creative industries and the digital economy,” Herd said.
“It currently aligns with global standards and effectively drives innovation and mutually beneficial negotiation without compromising Australian rights and investment,” she said.
“The existing legal framework already provides clarity, enabling licensing negotiations and balanced agreements that fairly reward creators and give them control over exploitation of their works.
“Australian songs, stories, art, research and creative works are among our nation’s greatest treasures: they deserve respect, not exploitation.
“Instead of rushing to open the gates for AI companies to unrestricted and free access to the valuable intellectual property of artists and creators, the Productivity Commission should work to optimise existing licensing frameworks that can deliver promised AI productivity gains without gutting Australian copyright.”
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