CISAC seeks AI protections

Photo Credit: Leyts Barend (L-R: Bjorn Ulvaeus – Alexander De Croo)

CISAC President Björn Ulvaeus met with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo to discuss the impact AI will have on the creative economy. Ulvaeus also spoke on the need for smart regulation to safeguard creators’ rights.

The CISAC President and ABBA founder called for sustained support for copyright and the protection of creators by the European Union as Belgium takes the six-month presidency of the EU. Belgium will be overseeing discussions to finalize the text of the EU AI act. Ulvaeus urged the establishment of proper transparency principles in the EU AI Act and to require AI operators to adhere to copyright regulations.

“The way we respond to AI and its relationship with copyright will have an enormous impact on European culture and our creative economy,” Ulvaeus told European lawmakers.

“At a time when legislation is planned in many jurisdictions across the world, this is a moment when I hope Europe will show its leadership in protecting creators and the creative industries. Rules that require transparency from AI operators are a vital element of this.”

Joining Ulvaeus at the meeting were CISAC Director-General Gadi Oron and Sabam CEO Steven De Keyser. They also sought sustained support for copyright and the value of the creative economy. Both Sabam and CISAC are collective management societies working in Belgum and internationally, alongside other member societies and GESAC in Europe to support creators who are struggling to build careers in the streaming market.

The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) is the world’s leading network of authors’ societies. It has 225 member societies spread across 116 countries, representing over five million creators from those regions. Those represented are in music, audiovisual, drama, literature, and visual arts.

Sabam serves as the largest collective management organization in Belgium, representing authors, composers, and publishers. Its core mission is to collect and distribute authors’ rights generated in both the Belgian and international markets.