EU's Artificial Intelligence Act Sparks Lobbying Battle Between Music Industry and Tech Giants

As the EU's Artificial Intelligence Act enters crucial talks, the music industry and big tech lobbyists are intensifying their efforts to influence the groundbreaking legislation. The Act seeks to impose regulations on the use of AI, with profound implications for copyrighted music and generative AI systems like OpenAI's ChatGPT. Provisions requiring AI developers to summarize copyrighted works used in their models and identify AI-generated content are seen as vital by music executives for fair licensing negotiations. However, tech companies argue these regulations could disadvantage European AI developers. Music industry leaders, including IMPALA's Helen Smith and ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus, urge strong copyright protections, while several EU member states advocate for lighter regulations. The outcome of the Act will set a precedent for AI legislation globally, with the music industry keen on ensuring that creators' rights are not sidelined by the burgeoning AI technologies.