Rédaction Africa Links 24 with techfocus24
Published on 2024-04-04 07:24:27
The lineup of artists who have signed a letter expressing concern about the impact of AI on their work reads like a music festival roster, including big names like Billie Eilish, Bob Marley estate, Chappell Roan, Elvis Costello, Greta Van Fleet, Imagine Dragons, Jon Bon Jovi, Jonas Brothers, Kacey Musgraves, Katy Perry, Mac DeMarco, Miranda Lambert, Mumford & Sons, Nicki Minaj, Noah Kahan, Pearl Jam, Sheryl Crow, and Zayn Malik, among others. These artists are speaking out against the irresponsible use of AI, which they believe poses significant threats to their privacy, identities, music, and livelihoods.
AI models that generate new music, artwork, and writing rely on training with vast datasets of existing work, and artists argue that their work is being used without permission to train these models. Attempting to remove their work from these models is often futile, akin to trying to prevent piracy of their music. The advancement of AI technology has also made it possible to create convincing deepfakes of popular artists, raising further concerns for creators.
Some companies, like Adobe and Stability AI, are developing AI music generators that use licensed or royalty-free music to try and mitigate these concerns. However, even these tools could potentially impact artists who create music for commercial use or licensing. Musicians have historically faced challenges with technological advancements, from file-sharing to streaming platforms that pay minimal royalties per stream.
The Union of Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) has been advocating for better streaming payouts for artists, as they estimate that the average streaming royalty rate on platforms like Spotify is only about $0.0038 per stream. Given this context, it is understandable why musicians are wary of the implications of AI technology on their industry.
Authors have also voiced their concerns about generative AI, with over 15,000 writers signing a letter addressing major tech companies. They argue that AI systems mimic and reproduce their language, stories, and ideas without proper compensation or acknowledgment. While legal recourse may not be effective in addressing these issues due to the complexities of copyright law, creators are calling for more robust protections against the predatory use of AI.
The artists and authors are united in their plea to halt the exploitation of AI to steal their voices and creativity, infringe on their rights, and disrupt the artistic ecosystem. They emphasize the importance of safeguarding human creativity and ensuring that AI technology does not undermine the work and livelihoods of professional artists. As technology continues to evolve, it is crucial to prioritize the ethical and responsible use of AI in the creative industries to protect the rights and interests of creators.
