The Australian Government wants AI to pay for copyright fees in move that may be more about getting a piece of the billions invested in AI. ARIA chief executive Annabelle Herd of the Copyright and AI Reference Group (CAIRG) has called the recommendation for a text and data mining exception "a radical change" that has been "put forward with very little evidence".
"Artificial Intelligence presents significant opportunities for Australia and our economy, however it's important that Australian creatives benefit from these opportunities too," Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said.
"Australian creatives are not only world class, but they are also the lifeblood of Australian culture, and we must ensure the right legal protections are in place."
[...] It is a difficult space for governments to regulate as they balance embracing the promised economic boons of AI without cumbersome red tape while also pitching guardrails.
In the lead-up to Labor's economic reform roundtable in August, the Productivity Commission urged against heavy-handed regulation of AI, warning it could smother opportunities.
Among its recommendations was a text and data mining exception – a call that sparked furore.
But Ms Rowland vowed the government would not "weaken copyright protections when it comes to AI".
"The tech industry and the creative sector must now come together and find sensible and workable solutions to support innovation while ensuring creators are compensated," she said.
"The government will support these next steps through the renewed focus tasked to the Copyright and AI reference group."
(Score: 4, Insightful) by mcgrew on Wednesday October 29, @04:43PM
Funny, even the socialists in Australia understand the vital importance of property rights
I don't know about Australia, but here in the US copyrighted "property" (isn't it "intellectual chattel"? Property is land) belongs to "We, the People" and its creator has a limited time monopoly on it ("limited" being defined by congress and the Supremes as "a lifetime plus a century"). AFAIC, they can train their AI with my books and articles ninety five years after I'm dead, or when they pay me for it (despite the fact that humans can read it for free).
And socialism does NOT negate property rights, you have been suckered by the Heritage Society to believe that socialism is communism, you gullible fool. It isn't. Socialism can't exist without democracy and property rights, communism cannot exist with them. The five happiest nations in the world are socialist, look it up.
Your health care system is socialist. Ours here in the US is capitalist. I'll trade you any day! Ours is both far more expensive and far less effective. Can you go bankrupt from getting sick or injured in Australia? You can here!
When masked police can stop you on the street and demand that you prove citizenship, your nation is a POLICE STATE