Malaysian music industry urges stronger copyright law against AI exploitation

Malaysia's music industry is calling for stronger copyright protections against the unchecked exploitation of creative works by artificial intelligence developers. The Malaysia Music Rights Alliance (MMRA), a coalition of local music entities, has formally urged lawmakers to fortify the nation's Copyright Act.

In an open letter addressed to the Prime Prime Minister and key ministries, the MMRA expressed grave concerns about current AI governance. The alliance stressed that any use of copyrighted material to train AI systems must first obtain explicit written consent and agreement from the original creators. They are strongly opposing any proposals to exempt Text and Data Mining (TDM) from the Copyright Act 1987, which would allow machines to mine creative works without permission or fair compensation for artists.

The MMRA also advocates for AI developers to maintain transparent training data records and implement mandatory labeling and watermarking standards. These measures aim to prevent confusion with original human creations and combat the threat of deepfakes. The music industry is a significant economic contributor, generating an annual economic output of RM19.4 billion and supporting over 111,000 jobs, according to a study by Price Waterhouse Coopers.

Prominent figures within the industry echoed these sentiments. M. Nasir, Chairman of MACP, described copyright as an inherent right stemming from human emotion, culture, and identity, asserting that it can never be genuinely translated by machine code. Sheila Majid, Chairperson of RPM, vehemently opposed any normalization of plagiarism through technology, stating, “Every performer carries a unique identity and vocal strength. While AI can serve as a support tool, it absolutely cannot be used to copy or imitate genuine human artistry.”