Fresh revelations that artificial intelligence companies have used iconic Australian and New Zealand songs without permission are reigniting concerns about copyright, cultural ownership and the future of creative industries.
The investigation, which examined leaked AI training datasets, found evidence that copyrighted songs were scraped and incorporated into datasets used to train generative AI systems without the consent, licence or payment of the artists, songwriters and rights holders involved.
For Dame Hinewehi Mohi, a leading advocate for Māori music and a board member of APRA AMCOS, the findings confirm fears that many creators have held for years.
She says the evidence demonstrates that some AI developers have built their products on creative works they neither owned nor paid for, treating songs, lyrics and compositions as free resources rather than intellectual property protected by law.
The investigation has intensified debate globally about whether AI companies have respected copyright obligations while racing to develop increasingly sophisticated generative technologies.
For songwriters and composers, the concern extends beyond financial compensation.
Dame Hinewehi says music is not simply data.
For many creators, particularly Indigenous artists, songs carry stories, language, identity, whakapapa and cultural knowledge.
The unauthorised use of these works raises serious questions about cultural safety, Indigenous rights and whether technology companies fully understand the significance of the material they are harvesting.
The controversy comes as courts and regulators around the world grapple with how copyright laws should apply to AI training systems.
Many artists argue that if their work is being used to train commercial products, they should be asked for permission and appropriately compensated.
Others warn that without stronger protections, AI-generated content could undermine the livelihoods of musicians, writers and other creators whose work provides the foundation for these technologies.
For Māori artists, the issue carries an additional layer of concern.
Dame Hinewehi says Māori language music and Indigenous creative works are not merely commercial products but taonga that carry cultural significance.
The possibility that such material could be absorbed into global AI systems without consent raises questions about Indigenous data sovereignty and the protection of mātauranga Māori in the digital age.
APRA AMCOS has been among the organisations calling for stronger safeguards, greater transparency and clearer legal frameworks to ensure creators are protected.
The organisation argues that innovation should not come at the expense of artists’ rights.
Dame Hinewehi says technology and creativity can coexist, but only when respect, consent and fair compensation remain central principles.
As governments, courts and creative industries continue to debate the future of AI regulation, the leaked datasets have become a powerful reminder that the value of music lies not only in its commercial worth but in the people, cultures and communities from which it comes.
For many artists, the investigation is no longer simply about copyright infringement.
It is about ensuring the next generation of technology is built on ethical foundations rather than the unauthorised exploitation of creative work.
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