THE Recording Industry Association of Malaysia (RIM) has called on the government to enact a law to safeguard artistes and music industry players from the growing threat posed by artificial intelligence.
The request comes amid rising concerns over the use of AI to generate music using copyrighted works without permission.
RIM president Rosmin Hashim emphasised the need for a legislative framework to regulate AI development in Malaysia, ensuring that AI companies respect copyright laws and obtain proper authorisation before using local music to train AI models.
"RIM has taken steps to monitor AI developers to ensure they do not misuse local songs in the training of AI systems," Rosmin said.
RIM recently met with the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia and the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry.
The main objective of the meeting was to urge the government to pass a bill specifically designed to regulate AI development in the country.
This bill would require AI developers to operate within legal boundaries, including obtaining permission from copyright holders before using any copyrighted works in the development of AI technology.
"There needs to be transparency regarding the data used to train AI models," Rosmin said.
"We want to know if AI companies are using copyrighted works without consent.
"Recently, two AI companies — Suno and Udio — were sued by international recording companies for allegedly using copyrighted music to train AI systems without permission," he added.
Rosmin also noted that this issue is not limited to Malaysia.
Recently, thousands of Hollywood stars from various fields, including music, literature, film and the stage, signed a statement expressing concern over the growing use of AI technology to train models using existing creative works without the consent of original creators.
The statement reflects the growing global movement to protect artistes' rights in the age of AI.
One notable example is the United States, where Tennessee passed the 'Elvis Act' in February, aimed at protecting musicians from AI misuse.
"In the US, the Elvis Act was introduced to protect musicians from AI violations.
"In Malaysia, we have already seen instances where prominent artistes like Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza and Dayang Nurfaizah have faced issues related to AI-generated music.
"When their AI-generated works are uploaded on platforms like YouTube, composers, lyricists, record companies, and performers often do not receive royalties, which threatens the income of local industry players," Rosmin said.
In addition to the US, Europe has also taken steps to address these concerns.
The European Union introduced the AI Act, which mandates that AI-generated music cannot receive copyright protection.
This act also requires AI developers to label each music product clearly, identifying whether it was produced by humans or AI.
"While it can be difficult to determine whether a song was created by humans or through AI, the AI Act in Europe ensures transparency by requiring labels on all AI-generated music," he added.
Although the legislative process takes time, Rosmin assured that RIM is working with the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to improve existing guidelines for AI development in the interim.
"As the process to enact laws takes time, we will focus on refining existing guidelines with a long-term strategy to gain the government's support for the necessary legislation."
Composer Aubrey Suwito, known for his work with prominent Indonesian singers, believes that protecting the rights of creative professionals does not need to be as aggressive as in Western countries. Instead, he advocates for stronger legal protections.
"As a composer, I believe legal protection is more effective than aggressive protests, as seen in the West," Suwito said.
"I understand the reasoning behind these protests, but local creative professionals should trust the role of the law to protect their interests."
He further urged the government to prioritise the swift implementation of a law that would safeguard the rights of artistes and industry players.
As AI technology continues to evolve, the need for comprehensive laws to protect intellectual property and the livelihoods of local artists becomes increasingly urgent.
While global efforts are underway, Malaysia is still in the process of developing the necessary regulations to ensure that AI developers respect the rights of copyright holders in the music industry.