Dutch Council for Culture: Government must protect cultural sector from AI

The Dutch Council for Culture is urging the government to take immediate action to safeguard the nation's cultural sector from the disruptive influence of artificial intelligence. In an unsolicited advisory, the independent advisory body warned that AI technologies, predominantly controlled by American corporations focused on profit, pose a significant threat to both employment and core cultural values within the Netherlands.

Kristel Baele, chair of the Council for Culture, highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that the council's advice stemmed from signals received from the field. Following extensive consultations with over eighty individuals from the cultural sector, including artists, writers, musicians, journalists, entrepreneurs, and academics, the council observed AI's profound impact on cultural practices. "We saw that jobs are changing or disappearing. And that copyright is being violated on a large scale. Some of our conversation partners called it 'the theft of the century,'" Baele stated.

While acknowledging that many in the creative sector see opportunities in AI and are experimenting with the technology, the council stressed the need for enhanced expertise and robust protection. The advisory calls for AI to serve human creativity, enabling the cultural sector to leverage AI effectively. Key recommendations include the implementation of a 'content levy' for AI companies that train their models on cultural content without compensating creators, a measure also advocated by the European Union.

This levy is seen as particularly crucial for smaller cultural organizations that lack the bargaining power of larger entities when negotiating licensing rights with AI firms. To counter the dominance of Silicon Valley, the Council for Culture proposes that the government collaborate with the sector to develop policy. This includes appointing a government commissioner as a single point of contact across ministries and establishing a societal task force with broad representation from the cultural sector to advise the government on emerging developments. Additionally, a dedicated fund is recommended to support the development of public AI infrastructure focused on human creativity.

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We saw that jobs are changing or disappearing. And that copyright is being violated on a large scale. Some of our conversation partners called it 'the theft of the century.'