We must ensure creators have a place at the table

In a speech at last year’s CISAC General Assembly in Mexico, I was asked to share my experiences with AI, its impact on creators, and how the creative sector should respond. I spoke not only as President of CISAC, but also as a songwriter and artist who is fascinated and excited by the possibilities AI offers to enrich our culture.

There is so much we don't know about AI and what it means for our future. But in the panels and discussions that followed, the gathering was united by a common message, one that is urgent to convey.

AI will lead to the biggest revolution the creative sector has ever seen. To prepare, we must act now. We cannot sit on the fence and watch how things develop. We cannot let tech companies and politicians sit at the helm while creators are left on the sidelines. We must raise our voices so that those in power hear us. We must be coordinated and united, and look for global solutions. And we must work within the CISAC community to protect the rights and livelihoods of the millions of creators our organizations represent.

That was a year ago. Since then, a lot of positive things have happened. We have communicated with policymakers. We have spoken to world leaders. We have sent many consultations to national legislatures. Despite the complexity of the issue, we have built our arguments around three core principles: the exclusive right of creators to grant permission for the use of their works; their right to fair compensation; and statutory transparency requirements that AI services must comply with when using creators’ works.

There is a long way to go, but the good news is that our efforts have shown positive results. Europe, so often a standard-bearer for creators’ rights, has adopted the EU AI Act, something that I and the CISAC Vice-Presidents have been actively involved in. The requirement for transparency is a welcome decision that could inspire other territories. There will be a lot of legislative activity in the coming months, where CISAC and its global network have a unique opportunity to exert influence.

Twelve months after CISAC’s General Assembly in Mexico, our challenge remains to give creators their rightful place at the table, and to shape the legislation as it evolves. This annual report highlights AI as a priority, and outlines our next steps.

AI can be a wonderful tool, but it cannot come at the expense of creators’ rights. Copyright has had and continues to have a huge impact on culture and the economy and must not be diluted by artificial intelligence. We must strengthen our efforts to convey this important message to politicians in the future. We must stand united, be coordinated and always have the creator’s interests at the center of our work.¨

Read the CISAC Annual Report here.