Music watchdog accuses AI firms of ‘stealing’ music from iconic artists like Kylie Minogue, Nick CaveA copyright watchdog has made bombshell claims on AI companies taking hundreds of songs from iconic Aussie artists like Kylie Minogue without permission or payment.David Hannant2 min readJune 19, 2026 - 9:01PMNewsWireAussie music icons are missing out on millions in royalties because their work is being stolen by AI, a leading copyright watchdog has claimed.Music from the likes of Kylie Minogue, Nick Cave, Sia and countless others is being added to giant datasets being shared within the AI-development community.And an “AI Watchdog” tool set up by The Atlantic has shone a light on just which songs by big name Aussie artists have been pinched in this way.According to a study by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), this is being done without the artists being compensated in any way.Supplied image of Kylie Minogue performing in Argentina overnight. Picture: Instagram,“This week, AI companies are asking the Australian and New Zealand governments for a copyright carve-out,” David Ormston, chief executive of APRA AMCOS, said.“This week, we can show you exactly what they have already taken. No permission. No licence, No payment.Others you may likenewsnews“These are not bargaining chips, they are the life’s work of Australian and New Zealand songwriters.”The AI Watchdog tool contains a vast, searchable database which shows just how many songs by an artist have been shared with the AI-development community.It also tells exactly which songs have been included in these song databases, which APRA AMCOS says is “deeply concerning”.Aussie pop princess Kylie Minogue, for example, has seen 940 of her songs included in a single dataset, including Spinning Around, Can’t Get You Out of My Head and All the Lovers.Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds on stage during their concert at The Domain Sydney. Picture: Jonathan NgAnd proving the matter is not confined to single genres, her one-time collaborator and fellow Aussie icon Nick Cave has seen 216 of his tracks in another dataset, including God Is in the House, Jubilee Street and Conversion.The Bad Seeds frontman has also seen his literary works fall victim to datasets, including his recently-adapted novel The Death of Bunny Munro.Other Aussie artists who have seen their work given this treatment include Sia, INXS and Crowded HouseNeil Finn performing with Crowded House at Golden Hour concert at Bondi Beach in Sydney. Picture: Richard Dobson“Major tech platforms have not come to the table. Not once,” Mr Ormston added.“Instead, they have lobbied governments, circulated policy papers, and proposed solutions designed to extinguish any obligation to pay.“The only path forward is a genuine licensing conversation with the people whose work they have been using.”APRA and AMCOS claim that without a mandatory licensing framework, artists and creators in Australia and New Zealand stand to miss out on more than $500m over just four years. More related storiesMusicTaylor’s shock fact about Toy Story 5 songThe singer has shared a video revealing how she managed to do something that Randy Newman couldn’t with a Disney theme song.Read moreMusicPop star shares sad health updateUS pop star Lil Nas X has shared a heartbreaking health update following his recent personal struggles and shock arrest.Read moreToursOz rockers announce 45th anniversary tourHoodoo Gurus correct the record on their biggest hits, the ones radio hated and the iconic smash everyone thinks is about a dog, ahead of a historic tour.Read more