AI poses risk to Australian and New Zealand music industries, says new report
Image: Photo credit: Yana Amur
By JAMES BALE
A new report has been released by the Australasian Performing Right Association and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (APRA AMCOS) has released a new report delving into how musicians in Australia and New Zealand utilise AI in their art, as well as their concerns for its increased usage in the future.
The study was conducted by the Berlin-based research and consultation group GoldMedia, who surveyed over 4200 APRA AMCOS members both in Australia and New Zealand. GoldMedia CEO Dr Klaus Goldhammer has expressed the need for this research for some time, considering the fact that AI is becoming ever more prominent in the musicians’ ‘creative process.’
“This report is the first major analysis of the interplay between music and AI in Australia and New Zealand,” said Dr Goldhammer. “The high level of participation alone shows how much creative professionals are concerned about the challenges posed by artificial intelligence… Australia and New Zealand are not just adapting to AI-driven changes – they are leading the way, setting a benchmark for the rest of the world.”
The findings showed that 38% of musicians admitted to incorporating AI into the creation of their work, while 54% believe that artifical intelligence can still be beneficial in the creative process. However, 82% of musicians expressed that AI is a serious concern for their careers, and fear that making music for a living will eventually become unviable.
In addition to this, 97% of musicians demand that policy makers need to pay more attention to how AI is being implemented and the effects that it’s having on artists, and 95% agree that copyright holders should be asked for consent when their work is being used as an input in AI systems.
CEO of APRA AMCOS Dean Ormston describes the ever-growing prominence of AI as a “fast-tracked industrial revolution” and calls for greater regulation over the extent to which AI can be incorporated into music. He said: “Global forecasts relating to generative AI (Gen AI) wealth generation by 2030 are astronomical, yet no major Large Language Model (LLM) platform or Gen AI service has asked for consent or paid for the data used to train platforms and drive Gen AI outputs.”
Ormston concluded: “If the use of artificial intelligence is unregulated and unlicensed it will be economically devastating. We urge the Australian and New Zealand Governments to implement EU-style transparency guidelines. Without this, our industry is facing a very bleak future.”
Read the full report here.
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