Many writers and agents were shocked last week when Melbourne publisher Black Inc Books formally asked its authors to agree to their work being used to train artificial intelligence (AI) and given just days to sign. The request comes only a few months after the Senate Select Committee on Adopting AI released its final list of recommendations, ostensibly designed to protect Australian creators.
“What is the rush?” asked the ASA’s chief executive, Lucy Hayward. “We don’t know who Black Inc will sublicense to, what conditions they will impose or what the fee will be. Asking for blanket permission for all future licensing – particularly under time pressure – is unnecessary and unfair.”
