Paul Dempsey, Kristy Lee Peters (KLP), Kate Ceberano, Bernard Fanning, Troy Cassar-Daley, and Jack River are just some of the more than 150 artists who have come together to join the newly-launched Artists Alliance Of Australia.
The nascent organisation brings together some of the most prominent names in Australian music as they fight for the rights of local creatives, especially in an era where copyright protections are on shaky ground thanks to AI companies and big tech.
"Australian Artists power the local and global entertainment industry and write the soundtrack to the lives of our audiences," the organisation's website explains. "AAA is an artist-led organisation created to represent, connect, support and advocate for Australian Artists.
"From AI and copyright to artist rights and government policy, decisions are being made every day that impact our careers. AAA will give Artists a seat at the table. "
Though announced today, the AAA seeks to commence "immediate advocacy" when it comes to the protection of copyright – which they deem to be the "most critical issue facing artists today".
"The simple aim is to represent and advocate for artists on the issues that affect us," Paul Dempsey wrote on social media.
"The most pressing of which is the protection of our existing copyright laws against greedy tech companies who are trying to coerce our government into watering them down so they can train their AI models on our creative output without compensating rights holders for their work or even asking their consent."
The establishment of an organisation such as this should, of course, come as no surprise.
While organisations such as AIRA, APRA AMCOS, AMPAL, and more have thrown their support behind the continuing of current copyright law as the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence looks at the opportunities and risks AI presents in Australia, new data has also agreed that the majority of Australians are against the alteration of current copyright law to suit the training of AI models.
In July, many of the artists behind the AAA descended upon Canberra to appeal to policy makers that changing copyright law to simply appease AI companies is a foolish decision which does nothing but harm the rights and protections of artists.
“If AI companies want to use Australian content, they have to ask for permission first,” Jack River wrote on social media following her appearance in Canberra.
“The path forward here already exists. The Albanese Government must hold firm on Australia’s existing copyright framework and tell AI companies to give us a call,” she added. “Our creativity. Our culture. Our choice.”
