European Lawmakers Urged to Prioritize Transparency
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A coalition of organizations representing creators, including artists and songwriters, has called on European lawmakers to prioritize transparency in the final phase of negotiations for the European Union’s AI Act. The group is concerned that the new AI regulations in Europe could be diluted, leading to potential ramifications for the creative industry.
Transparency Amid AI Act Negotiations
As the AI Act nears the final stage of negotiations, the creators’ coalition is urging policymakers to prioritize maximum transparency, particularly concerning training data and artificially generated content. While the AI Act does not specifically target generative AI, it includes transparency obligations for AI companies. The music and broader copyright sectors are advocating for enhanced transparency regarding the content used to train generative AI models, as well as clear labeling of AI-generated works.
The ‘Trilogue Phase’
The AI Act is currently in the ‘trilogue phase’, where the European Commission, European Parliament, and EU Council are working towards a final version of the legislation. It has come to light that tech companies and certain EU governments are pushing for revisions to reduce some of the obligations in the current draft of the act. However, the European Parliament and the current Spanish presidency of the EU are committed to maintaining practical transparency obligations.
The Call for Transparency
The creator groups state, “We strongly feel that the datasets used by generative AI should be informed by the highest level of transparency.” They are advocating for strict visible and/or audible labeling obligations for all deployers of generative AI-powered technologies to alert the public about altered or AI-generated content.
Advocacy for Mandatory Transparency Requirements
President of the European Composer & Songwriter Alliance, Helienne Lindvall, emphasizes the importance of not using the works of authors and artists for training data without their knowledge and consent. She urges the implementation of mandatory transparency requirements without broad exception loopholes to safeguard the fundamental rights of creators.
Unified Stance in the Music Industry
The music industry, including record labels and music publishers, is aligned with artists and songwriters in their stipulations for transparency obligations of AI companies. Helen Smith, Executive Chair of the pan-European indie label trade group IMPALA, echoes the sentiment, stressing the need for meaningful transparency and record-keeping obligations for generative AI models.
Capitalizing on Opportunities
While recognizing the potential of AI as a tool in music creation, production, distribution, and promotion, as well as collaborative opportunities with AI models, Smith asserts that generative AI companies should be subject to transparency and record-keeping obligations, crucial for negotiating licenses and authorizations for foundational models to operate.
In conclusion, the coalition underscores the critical need for transparency in AI Act negotiations, emphasizing the impact on the livelihoods of all creators. The music industry’s unified stance reflects the significance of transparency obligations for AI companies. As negotiations for the AI Act continue, the call for transparency remains at the forefront of the creators’ agenda.