Ashley Irwin, president of the Society of Composers and Lyricists, testified today on behalf of the SCL before the House Committee of the Judiciary (HCJ) Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet Hearing on Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property: Part I: AI and copyright law’s interoperability.
The hearing looked at the relationship between copyright law and generative AI technology. The use of works that are protected by copyright in the training of generative AI models, the copyright protection of works created with the assistance of generative AI, and the economic impact of generative AI on creators and creative industries were among the topics discussed. Irwin was invited to the hearing due to the legislative solutions that the SCL has provided thus far in light of the ongoing debate regarding music and artificial intelligence. Irwin’s declaration is as per the following:
“I would like to express my gratitude to Chairman Issa, Ranking Member Johnson, and the distinguished members of this Subcommittee for providing me with the opportunity to testify today on the significant issues pertaining to artificial intelligence and its effect on the creative industries. Ashley Irwin is the President of the Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL), where I am currently serving my sixth term. I’m here today to stand up for my members, who are already feeling the negative effects of generative AI on their work and the potential threat it poses to their profession.
“First, some information about me and the SCL.
Background on Ashley Irwin: “In my more than four decades as a composer and arranger, I have written music for more than 3,000 commercials and more than 1,000 hours of film and television.” I have been a part of numerous Emmy-winning teams and provided musical compositions and arrangements for 23 Academy Award shows since 1990. I have had the pleasure of working on numerous films with Oscar winners like Bill Conti and Clint Eastwood. My arrangements have been performed numerous times for Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama, and one of my choral orchestrations was performed at the state funeral service for President Ronald Reagan.
The SCL Foundation
“The General Public of Authors and Lyricists is the chief U.S. association for music makers working in all types of visual media. With sections in Los Angeles, New York, and Nashville, the SCL works as the essential voice for more than 3,000 individuals who function as makers of scores and tunes for film, TV, computer games, and theater.”
Thoughts on Generative AI from the SCL “While the SCL advocates for our members on a variety of fronts, the issue that has consumed the majority of our time recently has been generative AI.” Unless immediate legal, interpretive, and economic measures are taken to address these emerging issues, the rapid introduction of generative AI systems is seen as an existential threat to the livelihood and continued existence of our creative professions.”
To Stage Door or Not to Stage Door Today, Ashley Irwin, president of the Society of Composers and Lyricists, testified for the SCL before the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet of the House Committee of the Judiciary (HCJ) Hearing on Artificial Intelligence and Intellectual Property: Part I: AI and copyright law’s interoperability.
The hearing looked at the relationship between copyright law and generative AI technology. The use of works that are protected by copyright in the training of generative AI models, the copyright protection of works created with the assistance of generative AI, and the economic impact of generative AI on creators and creative industries were among the topics discussed. Irwin was invited to the hearing due to the legislative solutions that the SCL has provided thus far in light of the ongoing debate regarding music and artificial intelligence. Irwin’s declaration is as per the following:
“I would like to express my gratitude to Chairman Issa, Ranking Member Johnson, and the distinguished members of this Subcommittee for providing me with the opportunity to testify today on the significant issues pertaining to artificial intelligence and its effect on the creative industries. Ashley Irwin is the President of the Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL), where I am currently serving my sixth term. I’m here today to stand up for my members, who are already feeling the negative effects of generative AI on their work and the potential threat it poses to their profession.
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Video: Go Inside EVITA’s American rehearsals… “First, some background information about me and the SCL.
Background on Ashley Irwin: “In my more than four decades as a composer and arranger, I have written music for more than 3,000 commercials and more than 1,000 hours of film and television.” I have been a part of numerous Emmy-winning teams and provided musical compositions and arrangements for 23 Academy Award shows since 1990. I have had the pleasure of working on numerous films with Oscar winners like Bill Conti and Clint Eastwood. My arrangements have been performed numerous times for Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama, and one of my choral orchestrations was performed at the state funeral service for President Ronald Reagan.
The SCL Foundation
“The General Public of Authors and Lyricists is the chief U.S. association for music makers working in all types of visual media. With sections in Los Angeles, New York, and Nashville, the SCL works as the essential voice for more than 3,000 individuals who function as makers of scores and tunes for film, TV, computer games, and theater.”
Thoughts on Generative AI from the SCL “While the SCL advocates for our members on a variety of fronts, the issue that has consumed the majority of our time recently has been generative AI.” Unless immediate steps are taken to address these emerging issues on the legal, interpretive, and economic fronts, the rapid introduction of generative AI systems is seen as an existential threat to the livelihood and continued existence of our creative professions.”
“I want to be very clear: my goal in raising concerns about writers’ and creators’ rights is not to prevent AI research and use. We are merely advocating for the development of a policy framework to ensure that generative AI is developed and utilized ethically, responsibly, and with respect for human creators and copyright, so that the creative arts, which are the true engine of generative AI, can continue to thrive.”
“The SCL believes that the fundamental “Three Cs” should be followed by AI companies and their generative models: Consent, Credit, and Compensation Consent from creators for the use of their works in generative AI media, Credit wherever audiovisual creators’ works are used, and Compensation at fair market rates for AI generative machines ingesting any portion of human creators’ copyrighted works and producing new derivative works
“I might want to use the remainder of my time examining three difficulties presented to music makers by generative man-made intelligence – likely answers for which I have presented in my composed declaration:
Issue #1: Generative AI has been programmed to imitate human-authored, copyright-protected works without consent, compensation, or credit.
Issue #2: During the ingestion process of these models, copyright information (metadata) has been removed.
Issue #3: The market will be weakened because of man-made intelligence-created works and thus, copyright insurance shouldn’t be allowed for man-made intelligence-produced works. “
“In conclusion, I thought I should explain why I value America’s success. My accent probably indicates that I am not originally from the United States. I came here from Australia as a young fellow since I needed to be a piece of the lively culture that is the U.S. media outlet. But this one-of-a-kind American art form is under threat from the rise of generative AI. We run the risk of losing one of our greatest exports and its profound influence if we do not nurture and protect our human creators. Policies and regulations that protect creators’ copyright and intellectual property and preserve the diverse and dynamic cultural landscape of the United States must be prioritized.
“Technological advancement is not currently or ever in conflict with creator protection. That was something that our founders knew. Intellectual property is the sole context in which the term “right” appears in the Constitution. In particular, the freedoms conceded to writers and designers in Article I, Segment 8, Proviso 8 are “To advance the Advancement of Science and valuable Expressions”. Regard for copyright and the advancement of man-made intelligence ought to remain closely connected. Like that, all of humankind can benefit.”
“I look forward to working with each and every one of you to achieve that common goal,” the committee said. “I believe this committee has the power, authority, and motivation to lead the charge.”
With a distinguished nearly 77-year history in the fine art of creating music for visual media, the Society of Composers & Lyricists (SCL) is the primary organization for professional film, television, video game, and musical theater composers and lyricists, as well as those working in our industry such as orchestrators, arrangers, music supervisors, music agents, music attorneys, music editors, copyists, recording engineers, and related jobs. The best creative professionals who are currently SCL Members have experience and expertise that is focused on many of the creative, technological, legal, newsworthy, and pressing issues that are currently affecting the film, television, game, and musical theatre industries.
Source – Broadwayworld
