Australian Music Industry Takes United Stand Against Unauthorised AI Training

A broad coalition of Australian music and creative organizations has launched a unified campaign demanding stronger copyright protections against unauthorized AI training. The movement follows revelations that millions of local musical works were included in massive datasets used to develop AI models without the consent of or payment to the original creators. This collective action urges the Federal Government to uphold existing intellectual property laws to ensure the long-term viability of the nation's $67 billion creative sector.

A coalition of major industry bodies, including APRA AMCOS, ARIA, AMPAL, and the Copyright Agency, has issued an open letter to the Australian Federal Government to address what they describe as an unprecedented threat to intellectual property. The group is advocating for a framework where AI developers must obtain permission, ensure transparency, and provide fair remuneration before using copyrighted works. APRA AMCOS CEO Dean Ormston characterized the unauthorized use of Australian and New Zealand songs for AI training as the largest theft of intellectual property in the history of the industry, calling on the government to commit to the future of local creativity rather than trading it away.

The urgency of the campaign was triggered by a report from The Atlantic revealing that millions of musical works from prominent artists—including Midnight Oil, Sia, Kylie Minogue, Tame Impala, and Lorde—were allegedly used in four giant datasets to train AI models. Industry leaders gathered at Parliament House on July 1st to emphasize that the current licensing market is already functional and should not be bypassed by tech platforms. ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd highlighted that the local creative industry is valued at $67 billion, arguing that changing copyright laws to accommodate AI companies would legalise the theft of creativity and extinguish commercial opportunities for artists and music businesses.

The open letter specifically asks the government to maintain the line it drew in October by rejecting proposals that would allow AI companies to use creative works for free. AMPAL CEO Damian Rinaldi stated that if AI companies wish to utilize music, they must engage with the existing licensing system and pay fairly rather than seeking a discretionary arrangement on their own terms. The coalition warns that AI companies are seeking a system without negotiation or recourse, effectively moving from a model of asking for permission to one where they expect gratitude, which the industry maintains would undermine the fundamental rights of creators to say yes or no to the use of their work.