Copyright in the future of cultural policy
The strength of the report lies in its broad handling — and, of course, ultimately in its implementation.
It’s great that the Education and Culture Committee, acting as the “home committee,” has allocated plenty of time for the report in its meeting schedule. Experts are being heard extensively.
It would be desirable for the handling to be in-depth in other committees as well. It’s important that the focus is on the concrete implementation of the report rather than just grand policy statements. It’s time to move to action.
The report’s vision resonates well with us at Gramex too.
We are eager to help build a Finland where art and culture serve as strengthening and unifying forces. This is how we create a more resilient, vibrant, and humane future.
In the future, the cultural and creative sectors should be seen as growth industries comparable to core industries. This vision requires sufficient resources and cooperation between various government sectors and creative industries.
Succeeding in this vision also demands a wise response to technological development.
In the age of artificial intelligence and digitalization, it is crucial to ensure that copyright-respecting legislation supports the sustainable growth, employment, and earnings of creative industries.
Although many questions about AI remain open, it’s already clear that the principle mentioned in the report — “the use of a work always brings compensation to its creator” — does not apply to the training of AI models. Protected content has already been used to train models without agreements or permissions from the rights holders.
In a world where new business development relies on the unauthorized use of previously created content, there is no balance between different actors required for sustainable growth. A pulp mill cannot use wood raw material for free — and surely no one would dare demand that!
From the consumer’s perspective, it’s also important that AI-generated content is clearly marked. Furthermore, artists must have the right to decide on the use of their voice, image, and name, as well as the means to prevent unauthorized use. One could easily argue that every citizen should have this right.
AI is a good servant but a poor master.
Without strong copyright protection and freedom of contract, there are no internationally competitive, high-quality contents that people love, such as music and TV shows. And without content, there’s no thriving platform economy.
The terms and licenses for using music must be negotiated in balanced markets. Such markets could provide the growth that Finland desperately needs.
See Gramex’s statements for the Education and Culture Committee and the Commerce Committee (in Finnish).
