For generations of Australians, Powderfinger songs are tied to first loves, long drives, share houses, break-ups and summers that still feel close enough to touch. 

They were written by people, played by a band, and carried by listeners into their own lives. 

Now, that music has been found inside the machinery of artificial intelligence, harvested into vast datasets without permission and without payment. 

At the same time, the federal government is fending off whistleblower claims of a “dirty deal” with tech giants that would give AI access to Australian music and art in exchange for billion dollar investments

Today, Bernard Fanning on what happens when machines are trained on our songs, and who gets to tell Australian stories, us or AI. 

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Guest: Bernard Fanning

Photo: bernardfanning.com