In as much as artificial intelligence has highly scored as a beneficiary of technological advancement, it threatens revenue inflows for artistes, says Zimbabwe Music Rights Association (Zimura) CEO Polisile Ncube-Chimhini (pictured).
Speaking at a recent CISAC Africa regional committee meeting in Morocco, Ncube-Chimhini said creative minds were now competing to stay ahead of the technology.
“AI can take an artiste's music and create a new song from it yet the artiste won't get royalties from the re-arrangement,” she said.
“AI can compose music that appeals to the public and this will simply render artistes song's irrelevant.”
Ncube-Chimhini said when companies migrate to integrate AI in their operations, a lot of employees are bound to lose jobs.
“It is important to note that AI will reduce the much needed creativity and innovation and over reliance on the tech increases laziness in human beings, such are critical areas to leverage from," she said.
CISAC meetings attracts all African collective management organisations to meet, share ideas, challenges, solutions and update each other on issues aligned to their business.
Speaking on the sidelines of a copyright awareness training held in Kwekwe, Ncube-Chimhini stressed the importance of digitalising Zimura systems.
She said the new system would run in sync with "wipo connect", a software used for royalty distribution and identification of international works.
Zimura deputy director Henry Makombe said all was in place to pave the way for the smooth implementation of the digital monitoring system.
“We are working round the clock to make sure that the digital monitoring system comes online at the earliest possible time,” he said.
“The initiative is in line with the institution's efforts to make use of technology in every possible aspect.
“And in the long-term the system will reduce error and deliberate omission of critical information and what we need is to see all broadcasters accounting for the music they play.”
“The system will assist in ensuring that all the music is correctly logged on the timesheet.”
Makombe said Zimura was currently working on optimising the documentation and distribution side of the system.