SOCAN has completed its five-week campaign to strongly advocate for no new copyright exceptions that would permit free, unauthorized use of copyright-protected works for AI training. SOCAN’s “no exceptions” campaign received overwhelming support, with almost 9,000 signatories, and a full-page ad in the Toronto Star. Pursuing the same goal, CISAC President and ABBA songwriter Björn Ulvaeus and SOCAN CEO Jennifer Brown met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to discuss the future of creativity in the age of AI, in late 2025.
The campaign follows an announcement by the Government of Australia that it would protect creators by ruling out a copyright exception for AI training. In response, SOCAN’s Jennifer Brown and Dean Ormston, CEO of Australian music rights organization APRA AMCOS, released a joint statement on creative industries and AI and the need for an AI licensing framework.
In another welcome signal, the U.K. Government decided not to move forward with its proposed plan to broaden its text and data mining (TDM) licensing exception, and introduce an opt-out, for AI training.
Finally, Members of the European Parliament voted for a series of recommendations to protect copyright protected creative works from use by AI, including fair remuneration for creators and full transparency from AI companies.
These are all meaningful steps toward protecting musical creativity. They affirm that – for songwriters, lyricists, composers, screen composers, and music publishers – AI development must honour the principles of ART: Authorization (creators must consent to the use of their work for AI training); Remuneration (creators must be compensated for such use); and Transparency (creators must be informed of such use).
SOCAN appreciates that governments worldwide are increasingly approaching these issues with creators in mind, as we continue to advocate for fair and respectful AI development in Canada and worldwide.