The government announced today that NOK 1 billion will be dedicated to research into artificial intelligence and digital security. “We are pleased that art and culture are among the focus areas, and our call is that copyright must become a central element in this,” says CEO Karl Vestli.
/ 07/09/2023 / Willy MartinsenThe government announced today that NOK 1 billion will be dedicated to research into artificial intelligence and digital security. “We are pleased that art and culture are among the focus areas, and our call is that copyright must become a central element in this,” says CEO Karl Vestli.
The government led by Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Minister of Research and Higher Education Sandra Borch announced in a press conference today that NOK 1 billion will be spent over five years on research into artificial intelligence and digital security. The goal is to gain greater insight into the consequences of technological developments for society.
The research will look at the consequences artificial intelligence could have on, among other things, privacy, the economy, and arts and culture.
– We are pleased that art and culture are among the areas the government has identified in the new and extensive research initiative on artificial intelligence. TONO represents 40,000 Norwegian composers, lyricists and music publishers, and emphasizes that copyright must play an important role when researching artificial intelligence in the context of art and culture, says Karl Vestli, CEO of TONO.
The Copyright Act is Norway's most important law in the field of art. Vestli says that AI services are built on massive copyright infringements, and that this is already harming artists.
– AI companies train their models on copyrighted music and lyrics without having asked permission or paid for the use of others' intellectual property. As of now, the authors also have no good way to reserve themselves against training AI, and we are concerned about the exemption rules in Articles 3 and 4 of the DSM Directive, which could be very serious for Norwegian composers and lyricists if they are implemented incorrectly. There are also many copyright questions related to AI-generated content that are currently either unanswered or where existing answers are not good enough, says Vestli.
Although there is still much that needs to be done on the regulatory side when it comes to artificial intelligence, Vestli emphasizes that TONO is positive about new technology.
– Musicians, composers and lyricists have always been at the forefront of adopting new technology. AI offers Norwegian music creators unprecedented opportunities in their work to create new music. However, if artificial intelligence is to become the good tool it can be for artists – and not a threat – it is crucial that Norway does not allow uncontrolled development, but that it is done in a planned and principled manner. Today's press conference gives us hope. We have expectations for the work that will be done, and at the same time would like to emphasize that TONO is making its expertise available to both political decision-makers and research communities that will work within the new initiative, says Vestli.
TONO was founded in 1928 and is a non-profit cooperative owned and managed by composers, lyricists and music publishers, and which manages the economic copyrights in their musical works. TONO grants permission for the use of protected music on radio, TV, the internet, concerts, cinema, etc. for a fee, and transfers its financial results each year to the rights holders of music that has been performed publicly. TONO has more than 40,000 members, but also works for millions of authors and music publishers from around the world. TONO gives music creators an economic basis to create new music, and collects and simplifies the licensing of protected music to music users. TONO had a turnover of NOK 864,6 million in 2022.
Karl Vestli, CEO of TONO, mob. 932 56 020, karl.vestli (a) tono.no
Willy Martinsen, Communications Director at TONO, mobile 909 65 254, willy.martinsen (a) tono.no