The International Authors Forum (IAF) has submitted its comments to UNESCO on the proposed revisions to the Operational Guidelines of the 2005 Convention. In its submission, IAF welcomes the overall direction of the amendments and reaffirms the importance of a technologically neutral approach that keeps human creativity at the centre of cultural policy. IAF highlights the need for clearer terminology, stronger protection for creative professions and full respect for the principles of authorisation, remuneration and transparency. The submission also raises concerns about the proposed “right to use AI”, noting that such a provision risks undermining artistic freedom and should be removed.
Alongside its own comments, IAF has joined a global coalition of rightsholders’ organisations calling on UNESCO to ensure that the revised Guidelines fully protect and promote human creativity in the age of generative AI. The statement is jointly signed by the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) and the International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (IFCCD), the International Music Council (IMC), the International Federation of Musician (FIM), the International Affiliation of Writers Guild (IAWG) and IMARA. The coalition emphasises that cultural policies must prioritise human creators, avoid measures that could legitimise the replacement of creative professions and ensure that AI systems operate with transparency and respect for copyright and related rights.
Both the IAF submission and the joint advocacy document are below:
IAF UNESCO 2005 Convention OG Comments Submission.pdf
Joint Advocacy Submission UNESCO 2005 Convention OG Comments.pdf