A major advocacy group representing nearly 800 creators has launched a coordinated campaign urging tighter rules on how AI companies use copyrighted music. Titled “Stealing Isn’t Innovation,” the initiative officially launched on January 22, 2026, with a media push backed by high-profile signatories including Cyndi Lauper, Questlove, and R.E.M.
At the center of the campaign is the claim that large-scale scraping of songs and recordings to train generative AI systems undermines creative ownership and bypasses existing copyright protections. The group says this practice has become normalized without consent, compensation, or clear disclosure.
The coalition is not calling for a ban on AI. Instead, it is pushing for enforceable standards that require transparency, licensing, and payment when copyrighted works are used in training data. Supporters include actors Scarlett Johansson and Cate Blanchett, who argue that innovation should not come at the expense of creators’ rights.
