Björn Ulvaeus, the legendary ABBA singer and songwriter, defended creators’ rights in the age of AI, leading a creators’ delegation in Brussels, on the 21st of May. “We are pro-AI… The vision has to be a win-win for creators and the tech industry. That can only happen with legislation that truly and effectively safeguards creators” he argued in a meeting with top EU officials, urging for European legislation to ensure transparency, consent, and remuneration for creators in the AI market.
As President of CISAC and a creator himself, Ulvaeus voiced the concerns of Europeans in the copyright-intensive sectors, contributing approximately 7% of Europe’s GDP and supporting over 17 million jobs. He highlighted the alarming effects of AI on their livelihoods, if their rights are not effectively protected, while clarifying their positive stance towards the potential of AI for society.
His intervention came as a response to the current drafts of the Commission on AI Code of Practice and Transparency Template, considered by creators as watering down their rights' safeguards, which were previously set in the EU AI Act. According to the Commission’s timeline, the final version of the Code of Practice is scheduled to be published by August 2025.
Glenn Micallef, Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture, and Sport reacted positively to the creators’ “clear message”, stating that “AI can be a tool — but it must never replace the people behind the art”. The delegation including artists such as Marika, Alice Wonder, Brice Homes and Patrick Sigwalt and representatives from creators’ organisations, such as Adriana Moscoso del Prado (GESAC) and Gadi Oron (CISAC), also visited Roberta Metsola, the European parliament's President to voice their concerns in regards to copyright protection. The meeting came after a keynote speech delivered in the context of “Empowering creators in the age of AI” public hearing organised at the Cult Committee of the European Parliament, chaired by MEP Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski (EPP, Poland), Vice-Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education.
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Image Credits: (1) @European Parliament, (2) GlennMicallef on X @Creative Europe, found here
