Over 200 artists sign letter urging tech companies to cease AI use that “devalues human artists’ rights”

Over 200 artists, including Nicki Minaj, Jonas Brothers, Chuck D, Sam Smith, Katy Perry, and Zayn Malik, have signed an open letter urging technology companies to halt the use of artificial intelligence to diminish and undervalue the rights of human artists.

While acknowledging AI’s potential to enhance human creativity when used responsibly, the letter calls on AI developers, technology companies, platforms, and digital music services to pledge against developing or deploying AI music-generation technology that undermines or replaces human artistry. The artists demand fair compensation for their work.

This demand reflects ongoing concerns within the music industry regarding the obligations of companies utilising generative AI. The industry asserts that obtaining permission is necessary before training generative AI models with existing music, including sound recordings and songs containing an artist’s voice or likeness. Despite industry opinions, the legal landscape surrounding this issue remains uncertain.