The Script frontman backs Sinn Féin’s artificial intelligence motion
The Script frontman backs Sinn Féin’s artificial intelligence motion
Publish Date: 2026-07-14 16:08:00
Source Domain: pa.media
- Danny O’Donoghue, lead singer of Irish pop group The Script, claims that 125 of his and the band’s songs were illegally used by major AI companies for training purposes, which he terms as “intellectual property theft on an industrial scale”.
- O’Donoghue has endorsed the Sinn Féin motion “Protecting the Copyright of Irish Artists in the era of Artificial Intelligence” to be debated in the Irish Parliament to tackle this issue.
- He emphasized the impact on both established and lower-level musicians, stating that existing copyright laws are insufficient in protecting their intellectual property.
- O’Donoghue argues that AI-generated music is diluting the market by overwhelming new talent with 80,000 new songs released daily.
- He proposes that Ireland use its presidency of the Council of Europe to advocate for stronger laws, including AI “opt-out rights” for artists, fair pay, and proper licensing.
- Research, Innovation and Science Minister James Lawless expresses sympathy toward the issue but also points out its complexity and the need for European-level regulation to adequately address it.
