Music Technology UK (MTUK), the UK trade association dedicated to music technology companies, has submitted its views to the UK Government’s consultation on Copyright and AI.
MTUK’s submission highlights that Generative AI is just one facet of AI’s impact on the music industry, which also includes numerous benefits such as enhancing revenue distribution accuracy and speed for artists and rights holders. The submission underscores the importance of copyright law in protecting intellectual property and ensuring creators are fairly compensated.
Addressing licensing inefficiencies, MTUK proposes improvements to licensing systems and advocates for greater collaboration between the tech, music, and creative industries. MTUK has included a draft policy on AI training and copyright compliance under English law, aiming to create a clear, practical roadmap for responsible AI development in the UK.
MTUK Chief Executive Matt Cartmell stated:
“The issue isn’t the ‘training’ of LLMs within an approved framework, but whether it is done without authorisation, reverse-engineers creativity, or poses significant economic and cultural risks. The real challenge for the music industry is large-scale piracy.
“While we favour an opt-in approach over opt-out, we urge the Government to move beyond binary debates. A nuanced, industry-specific framework is needed – one that facilitates practical agreements between AI companies and the creative industries. Technology, including AI itself, will help enable such solutions.
“Applying a one-size-fits-all policy to all AI development and uses is potentially harmful.”
With over 100 member companies spanning recorded music, events, infrastructure, and music creation, MTUK aims to establish the UK as a global leader in music tech innovation.