AUSTIN, TEXAS — Austin musicians, educators, venue owners and advocates gathered Tuesday night for a discussion and protest calling for stronger regulations on artificial intelligence in the music industry. The event, led by the nonprofit Austin Texas Musicians, joined similar efforts by artists in New York, Nashville and Los Angeles. According to Austin Texas Musicians, there is currently no legislation in place to protect songwriters from having their music used without permission by AI systems.

"We get it, AI is here to stay and there's a lot of great practical uses for AI. But one thing that wasn't created was regulations and rules around how AI can be used. So currently, AI training models can scrape the artists' likenesses, their music, for their training, and there's no protections whatsoever for the intellectual property that artists have created," said Patrick Buchta, CEO of Austin Texas Musicians.

Some artists at the gathering acknowledged AI can be used as a creative tool for inspiration but said it cannot replace the human touch that gives music its value. Musician Terrany "Tee-Double" Johnson addressed the technology's role in the creative process. "Sometimes you need it to help kickstart an idea. Sometimes you need to help, you know, find a key or a cord. Like, there's places for it, as long as artists remember that they are the actual tool," Johnson said.

Johnson also addressed the economic dynamic between human performers and AI-generated music. "If artists see that they can get booked being themselves, more will move away from leaning on AI and won't see it as a financial competitor," he said.

Music leaders at the event said the industry is under strain from flat pay since the 1980s, streaming-related losses and rising costs in Austin, and that AI is adding additional pressure. They said they hope the conversation continues and leads to action from lawmakers.

Buchta closed the discussion with a call to protect the city's creative workforce. "It's just, it's so important that we protect our artists. Artists are the soul. But we've also got to all do our part to support the culture, the heart and soul of the city," he said.