AI and Copyright: A Delicate Balance
At SXSW Sydney, Chris Lehane, OpenAI's global affairs chief, cautioned that Australia may be limited to "fine-tuned versions" of foreign models if it doesn't relax copyright laws to allow text and data mining.
This argument is reminiscent of Silicon Valley's playbook, where access to data is presented as a prerequisite for progress. Historically, companies like Disney and Google have utilized similar strategies to consolidate market power.
Open your data or be left behind.
However, the stakes are higher with generative AI, as it not only commercializes culture but consumes it entirely. If countries yield too quickly, they risk losing control over their language, stories, and creative identity.
Australia must avoid repeating the pattern of exporting raw cultural material while importing finished value, ensuring a fair reward for its creators and maintaining cultural sovereignty.
Author's summary: AI poses a threat to cultural sovereignty.