Australian writers blast Productivity Commission’s lack of modelling in AI report – In opening remarks to a Senate inquiry on Tuesday, Australian Writers’ Guild (AWG) and Australian Writers’ Guild Authorship Collecting Society (AWGACS) CEO Claire Pullen joined other creative leaders and Senators in criticising the Productivity Commission for failing to model the economic contribution of creative industries.
Australia’s creative workers raised questions over the Productivity Commission’s Interim Report, including whether the Commission is fit to publish recommendations that include dismantling existing copyright protections when it has not undertaken detailed analysis of the copyright issues at play.
Appearing before the Inquiry into the National Cultural Report, the Productivity Commission was lambasted by senators as turning their backs on Australia’s creative industries. Pressed on the impact a Text and Data Mining (TDM) exception might have on the creative economy, which brings in upwards of $90 billion or 2% of Australia’s GDP, the Commission admitted that no modelling was undertaken prior to the Interim Report being published.
In her opening remarks to the Committee, Pullen pointed out the Guild had done more modelling than the Productivity Commission.
“It is staggering that the Productivity Commission could dedicate so much of their time to pushing the unfounded benefits of AI and a TDM exception without a shred of evidence to back up its claims,” says Pullen.
“How are we as creative industries or the Government, tasked with regulating AI, meant to respond to anything in the Interim Report when the basic question of how our industries will be impacted was not even considered?”
– says Pullen.
In response to the lack of modelling provided by the Commission, the Australian Writers’ Guild commissioned modelling of their own, estimating that AI could see over $1.7 billion in lost wages and 2000 creative jobs slashed by 2035. Australian writers currently set in motion over $1 billion in economic activity.
“We are deeply disappointed that the Productivity Commission appears not to take seriously the economic contribution of the creative industries to our economy,”
– says Pullen.
As expressed in their submission, the AWG and AWGACS maintain that the starting position on AI has to be that tech companies are asked how they will rectify the copyright theft and moral rights infringements that have already taken place.
“The Productivity Commission should be examining the cost to our economy of failing to enforce Australian law as creative jobs are destroyed,”
– says Pullen.
READ THE AWG AND AWGACS SUBMISSION (PDF).
Media Release – AWG
Link to AWG HERE
TV Central Other content HERE
Australian writers blast Productivity Commission’s lack of modelling in AI report
