In opening statements to the Committee, the authors detailed the theft of their work by overseas tech giants, and why copyright is fundamental to how creators are able to earn a living and generate value from their work.

Charlotte Wood said, ‘Australia has excellent copyright laws, which need protection and strengthening. Copyright licensing supports careers like mine, including the licensing of UK rights to my last novel, enabling it to be shortlisted for the world’s most prestigious literary award, the Booker Prize, in turn leading to enormous economic benefit to me and a boost to our book industry. Licensing – directly through publishers and collecting agencies – happens every day. It is careful work, but it is not complicated. When the AI companies claim it is impossible, they are lying to you.’

Emphasising the importance of copyright, Anna Funder said, ‘The AI companies need to come to the table and make licensing deals, like everyone else who wishes to use our work, which is our property. Language is the greatest technology ever invented, and they know it. It is how we see inside ourselves, and each other. It is how we understand what it is to be human. Pope Leo has said that AI poses risks to ‘human dignity, justice and labor.’ All three are vitally protected by copyright. We ask you not to destroy them.’

Highlighting part of what is at stake if the government were to erode copyright law for AI training, Markus Zusak told the Committee, ‘It’s hard enough for most creative people to make a living as it is – and we realise that’s a choice – but if we don’t fight for it now, it won’t be that long till there’s almost nothing left to fight for at all. Fair copyright for our efforts – and for the efforts of writers and all artists around the world – seems like a pretty fair request.’

Lucy Hayward said, ‘We’ve heard a lot about tech’s ‘red lines’. No asking permission, no calling it a license, no liability. It gives the impression not so much of AI on Australia’s terms, but as foreign corporations dictating what they get, how they get it, what it’s called, and which laws they can change, all for a gold coin donation. It doesn’t pass the pub test.’

‘We cannot be so indoctrinated by tech exceptionalism as to believe the largest companies on the planet cannot possibly obey our laws. We should be appalled by such a defeatist attitude.’

‘How is the government going to face the world’s creators, if we upend copyright here? How is the government going to face Australian creators, and tell them we’ve removed the one bargaining chip they have – their rights to their work in this country? All to make Big AI more profitable.’

In a submission to the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence the ASA called for the government to strengthen Australian copyright law to compel AI developers to license copyright work, irrespective of where their models are trained. Specifically, the ASA has suggested a clarification of the importation provisions to expressly include AI models, and the introduction of statutory damages.

Our sincere thanks to Anna Funder, Charlotte Wood, and Markus Zusak for generously giving their time to speak up for creators.