Australia Rejects Proposal to Exempt AI Training from Copyright Laws

The Australian government has rejected a proposal to give tech companies an exemption to copyright laws for text and data mining (TDM).

The proposal:

• Australia’s Productivity Commission initially proposed the copyright exemption, a move supported by tech companies.

• It was vehemently opposed by the creative industries, with Midnight Oil vocalist Peter Garrett an outspoken opponent.

The alternative:

• In an interview with ABC Radio, Attorney-General Michelle Rowland suggested the government would look to establish a licensing system for copyrighted content used in training AI.

• As per Music Business Worldwide, the Labor government led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is considering reforms that require AI companies to disclose what content they use to train their AI.

• The government is also considering a new “enforcement regime that would make it easier for small rightsholders to seek compensation for the use of their work in AI.”

• The Australian Financial Review reports that Google, Meta and OpenAI have all told the Australian government that they oppose the idea of having to publish detailed data about their model training.

What they said:

• Annabelle Herd, CEO of the Australian Recording Industry Association and Phonographic Performance Company of Australia: “Make no mistake: it is not for tech giants to determine how creators’ IP is utilized, even in negotiation. There are no grounds for new loopholes or amendments that diminish a creator’s right to transparency and permission over how their work is used. Protecting that agency is how we build a creative economy that continues to grow, inspire and compete globally.”