Artists Including Miranda Lambert, Billie Eilish, and Nicki Minaj Advocate for Rights in AI Development
A coalition of prominent artists, including Miranda Lambert, Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj, and others, has joined forces to advocate for the protection of artists’ rights in the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Led by the Artist Rights Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting musicians in the digital age, over 200 names have signed an open letter urging AI developers, platforms, and digital music services to respect the rights of human artists.
While acknowledging the creative potential of AI technology, the letter emphasizes the threats it poses to human artistry. One major concern raised is the unauthorized use of existing works to train AI models, which could lead to the exploitation and devaluation of artists’ intellectual property rights.
The letter states, “This assault on human creativity must be stopped,” emphasizing the need to protect against the predatory use of AI to replicate artists’ voices and likenesses without their consent.
This advocacy comes in the wake of recent legislative efforts to address the challenges posed by AI in the music industry. Tennessee recently passed the Ensuring Likeness, Voice, and Image Security Act, also known as the “ELVIS Act,” aimed at safeguarding songwriters, performers, and music professionals from the potential risks of generative AI tools. The law, set to take effect on July 1, seeks to prevent the unauthorized replication of artists’ voices by AI technologies.
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee underscored the importance of protecting artists’ intellectual property, noting the significant contribution of the music industry to the state’s economy. He emphasized that artists possess unique gifts and creativity that should be respected and preserved, particularly in the face of advancing AI technologies.
