AFM

Entertainment unions challenge OpenAI’s fair use defense. SAG-AFTRA, both Writers Guild of America branches, and the AFM - American Federation of Musicians have submitted a 34-page amicus brief in a consolidated copyright lawsuit involving OpenAI, publishers, and authors. The filing represents more than 250,000 entertainment and media workers (via Deadline). “The harms of unlicensed training fall not just on companies like the News Plaintiffs, but on the countless professionals behind the work,” the brief states. deadline.com/2026/10/sag-af…

Human Made, Human Paid is an advocacy campaign organized by the AFM to safeguard professional musicians and preserve human artistry against AI exploitation.

Launched in response to the major record labels’ position during SRLA bargaining and their withholding of AI licensing revenues, this initiative unites musicians worldwide to defend creators’ rights. The campaign sets three core principles for any use of musicians' work in AI training or output generation: consent, credit, and compensation.

“The record labels cannot pocket profits built on the backs of human artistry while cutting working musicians out of the equation,” says Tino Gagliardi, International President of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada. “Human Made, Human Paid is about consent, credit, and compensation. The AFM will not stand by and allow tech deals to bypass the very artists who made those music catalogs valuable in the first place.”

Through the “Human Made, Human Paid” campaign, the AFM is rallying professional musicians and advocates to demand fair standards, transparency, and protective measures against unauthorized AI music generation and catalog exploitation.

Take a stand against the unfair exploitation of musicians’ work by signing the petition at: HumanMadeHumanPaid.com.

It’s time for every artist to be paid for their work played on AM/FM radio. Pass the American Music Fairness Act.

Thousands of AFM musicians orchestrate, prepare, and perform the musical scores for film, television, and streaming projects. It is time for our government to allow us to compete for jobs in a global industry. A federal tax incentive is necessary to keep jobs in the United States and grow the sector.
We are proud to be in coalition with a broad range of labor unions and other stakeholders to support the Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act (MPTERA). Led by Senators Scott (R-SC) and Schiff (D-CA) and Representatives Moran (R-TX), Sanchez (D-CA), Jack (R-GA), and Friedman (D-CA), this proposal has support from Democrats and Republicans in the US House and Senate.
NOW is the time for Congress to hear from you. Please take a moment to lend your voice in support. Click to send a letter: actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-c…

The American Federation of Musicians is proud to join the newly launched U.S. Film and Television Production Coalition.
"The AFM will always support policies that put creative professionals to work. More production in the United States means more job opportunities for musicians. At the movies and in our homes, AFM members bring stories to life. The work of film and television scoring musicians is an essential part of the creative economy in this country. The AFM fully supports a federal tax incentive that will put artists and arts workers back on the job in the United States," states AFM International President Tino Gagliardi.