Global music body warns Australia: Weakening AI copyright is a 'disaster for creativity'

The global body representing the recording industry has a blunt message for Canberra: don't hand AI companies a copyright pass. Victoria Oakley, chief executive of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, told Guardian Australia that loosening protections would be both ridiculous and dangerous, and a disaster for creativity.

Oakley's worry is specific. If Australia creates even one exemption letting AI firms train on local material, that model can then chew through music from anywhere on Earth. She framed it as a global problem, not an Australian one — one permissive jurisdiction becomes the doorway for everyone.

The Albanese government is weighing copyright changes as part of a wider push on AI, spanning datacentres, online safety, jobs and energy. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has talked up the strongest possible protection and called unpaid use of creative work theft. But talk of a rollback followed requests from AI companies for lighter rules to train on Australian content.

Some of those companies have balked at licensing deals under current law, calling them too hard. Anthropic floated an opt-out system in which rights holders would have to object to stop their content being scraped. OpenAI, answering a parliamentary committee, drew a line between its own use and Spotify's, saying the streamer mainly passes on untransformed content so would be expected to license what it plays.

Oakley isn't buying it. She said labels have already signed dozens of licensing deals with smaller AI firms worldwide, and pointed to Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music and Tidal as proof the music industry knows how to make this work. Come to us, she said, and we'll make it work.

Attorney General Michelle Rowland said through a spokesperson that the government backs creatives and wants any copyright changes to deliver real control and fair compensation. Oakley said she has been telling capitals worldwide to watch Australia closely, and warned of contagion if it caves — a reputational hit she called a huge mistake not worth the prize.