Thousands of artists, from musicians to writers to actors, have united against the unauthorised use of their works to train artificial intelligence models. They are denouncing a threat to their livelihoods and calling for better protection of their copyright.

How does generative AI pose a threat to them ?

Technology companies need data to feed their AI models so that they can autonomously produce an answer to any question they are asked. To do this, they make use of musical and literary works, albeit without the legal authorisation of the creators.

Virtual assistants will eventually be able to recognise scores, create music, images or texts based on the artistic creations with which they have been familiar, which is problematic for creators and the survival of their works.

In other words, this practice raises enormous ethical and economic questions, which is why artists have not remained inactive in the face of this situation.

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The legal battle is on !

In the United States, newspapers and record companies have filed lawsuits against tech giants. Sony Music Group, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group have filed lawsuits against Suno and Udio, start-ups specialising in AI-based music production. These companies could pay up to 150,000 dollars for each song copied.

Numerous other cases have been brought before the courts, including eight American newspapers that have decided to sue OpenAI and consequently Microsoft for copyright infringement on press articles used to train ChatGPT and Copilot.

Legislators, for their part, are seeking to put in place a regulatory framework to oversee the development of AI and protect the copyright of its creators.

Challenges for the future

This mobilisation of artists marks a turning point in the debate on artificial intelligence. It highlights the importance of striking a balance between technological innovation and respect for copyright. The next few years will be crucial in defining the rules of the game and ensuring the ethical use of AI.

In America and Europe, efforts are being made to establish a legal framework. Africa urgently needs to put in place a legal framework to protect artists' rights in the face of advances in AI. 

Source: L'Usine Digitale

Vanessa Ntoh