Why are Musicians not Joining the Strike?

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 Why are Musicians not Joining the Strike?

by Jillian Drummond


        Writers (WGA) and actors (SAG-AFTRA) have been standing in solidarity with each other for their rights against generative artificial intelligence, but why are musicians not joining the fight? 

Image: Getty Images
    Musicians today are facing the threats of artificial intelligence on a similar scale as all other artists. AI can copy a certain musician's voice, put it in their style, or even generate a combination of new beats and rhythms in a matter of seconds. 

    Unfortunately, unlike screenwriters and actors, musicians are not unionized neatly but instead are treated as independent contractors licensing their work. 

    So, in order for musicians to protect their art form, they must independently negotiate—putting them many steps behind. Fortunately for vocalists, they can be included with SAG-AFTRA, but instrumental musicians must go through the American Federation of Musicians (AFM).

    With those unions in place, musicians can feel a little scrambled. 

     To protect the artistry of musicians, they must completely unionize performers in the music industry to complete tentative deals that can be reached with no loose ends. Otherwise, independent musicians will be taken and licensed by AI companies, where their voices are taken from them. 

Comments

  1. Timothy WhiteDecember 16, 2023 at 10:45 PM

    I hadn't really thought about how this affects musicians. It's hard to imagine AI replacing music made by a real person. The amount of pain, heartbreak, joy, and other emotions that are poured out into music can't be replicated by a computer. I wouldn't want to live in a world where the only music is made by an algorithm.

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