‘I want artificial intelligence [AI] to do my laundry and dishes so that I can do art and writing, not for AI to do my art and writing so that I can do my laundry and dishes.’
So read a tweet by author Joanna Maciejewska, pithily articulating how this new technology is disrupting the creative industries. For many music creators, this tension boils down to the differences between assistive and generative AI. The former has been viewed more favourably by those creators who wish to explore AI’s capabilities, particularly in its responsible use as an additional instrument for songwriters and composers. Take The Beatles’ ‘final song’ Now and Then, which was completed last year with the help of AI.
However, much of the current controversy surrounding its use in music creation stems from generative AI, referring to technology that is capable of producing output with no meaningful human intervention. A 2023 survey of PRS members about AI found that 74% had concerns about AI-generated music competing with human-made compositions. Furthermore, 93% of respondents said that creators deserve to be compensated if their music is used for AI-generated content, while 89% felt that AI tools should be transparent about how they generate music.
12 months on, and many of those fears have yet to be allayed. A recent Goldmedia study, carried out on behalf of Sacem and GEMA, predicted that the global market for generative AI in music will exceed $3bn by 2028, further fuelling concerns about the impact of the growing music AI market on copyright protection and artist income.
Speaking to M about the issue, Loop Legal founder Lulu Pantin says: ‘There are deeply held fears that AI will erase the role of the individual in the songwriting and recording process, and that the quality of music and the ability to earn a liveable wage as a creator will suffer.
‘However, this perspective undervalues the utility of AI when placed in creative hands. At its core, AI is a neutral tool that can mimic and streamline creativity, and when coupled with talented individuals the possibilities for innovation in their own process exponentially increase. AI may actually magnify the creativity of its user, rather than cannibalise it.’
'AI may actually magnify the creativity of its user, rather than cannibalise it.’ - Lulu Pantin
This more optimistic view of AI’s potential to benefit the industry also extends to areas outside music creation. Audio search and detection startup Figaro is extending its tech into AI content moderation, while musiclawyer.ai is a tool which allows musicians to identify problems in recording agreements.
Orfium, a music rights management technology startup which has partnered with PRS for Music to expand licence coverage in Africa, are looking to harness the potential of AI to ensure creators are getting paid fairly for the use of their work.
‘AI has been a game-changer because it understands and interacts in natural language, moving beyond the deflating models and heavy frameworks we had before,’ Orfium’s Chief Technology Officer Michael Petychakis explains to M. ‘It has become something that everyone can engage with and see a real impact from in their daily lives and work.’
In their mission statement, Orfium say they are ‘engineering the most advanced AI algorithms and music reporting solutions’ to ensure the necessary metadata is delivered to ‘help creators, rights holders and media companies track, report and monetise usage’.
‘When it comes to tracking music usage and getting artists paid, the core problem lies in metadata, which is where the royalty chain of payments begins,’ Michael adds. ‘AI plays a crucial role here due to the scale and complexity of the challenge. It’s perfectly suited to overcome this because it can handle large-scale, repetitive tasks and automate them effectively.’
It’s ultimately down to the wider industry to get on top of issues related to copyright and creatives being fairly remunerated, which, Michael adds, companies like Orfium are striving to achieve.
‘The music industry doesn’t lack new artists or music, it lacks a system that ensures everyone gets paid accurately,’ he continues. ‘This is where AI and Orfium step in, addressing a scalable problem and automating processes to ensure all parties receive their rightful payments.’
In the live music sector, platforms like Gotobeat are also utilising AI to enhance their service. The startup, founded by Max Busin (pictured above), aims to help minimise the risk of organising live events by drawing on social media data and streaming figures, as well as analysing artist profiles to identify those who could graduate to playing bigger venues.
‘I realised how challenging it is for artists to get paid the right amount and find the right gigs, in effect how slow and ineffective event organisation can be,’ Max says of the motivations for launching Gotobeat. ‘We have our own first-party data as we are also a ticketing platform. So when we work with artists we gain knowledge of their ticket sales, how fast they sell and what's popular.’
Max adds that Gotobeat see AI as ‘an instrument you can use to enhance productivity’.
‘It can save time on tedious tasks, from booking shows to finding the right tone of voice for a piece of promotional content,’ he says. ‘Many emerging artists these days need to do everything, from accounting to being their own agent. AI can really streamline a huge amount of this work to allow them to do what they do best: focus on creating.’
'AI can really streamline a huge amount of work to allow creators to focus on creating.’ - Max Busin
un:hurd music is a startup that uses AI to draw on music and social media data to create thumb-stopping promotional campaigns. The business, which recently secured investment from Kobalt founder and chairman Willard Ahdritz, was born out of founder and CEO Alex Brees’ experiences as an analyst.
‘Before un:hurd, my experience of using data was to make more effective marketing decisions,’ he says. ‘I saw lots of tech innovation in the creator economy around distribution and music creation, but big challenges arising when finding audiences and fans.’
‘I wanted to create a tool that provides the marketing and promotional support you might get with a major label, but something affordable and accessible for indie artists. Our platform ingests as much information about an artist from the public APIs we interact with, then tailors a list of tasks that the artist can go through to undertake a data-led marketing campaign.’
The service un:hurd offers can be vital for any aspiring music creator, but Alex understands those who might be sceptical about the prospect of AI-driven technology helping transform their music career.
‘It’s understandable, as the narrative online about generative AI usually involves horror stories about artists being ripped off,’ he says. ‘But my perspective is a bit different. We don’t use AI to generate music: we use it to generate streams, raise awareness and develop a fanbase — but also time. Saving time can be really important for artists in helping them to focus more on creating music.’
Legal expert Lulu Pantin (pictured above) feels that AI can be beneficial within the creative field too, democratising the ecosystem by opening it up to those who might have previously considered music creation to be inaccessible.
‘Jess+ helps disabled musicians create live ensemble scores, while Anybody's Piano enabled a woman with cerebral palsy to perform with an orchestra from a hospital bed,’ she says. ‘AI tools like these empower creators who may have been limited or halted in their expression to tell their stories and paint a more complete and vibrant musical picture. These cases prove AI can magnify artistic expression rather than constrict it.’
For many, though, reports of mass copyright infringement by AI platforms are a real cause for concern. Lawsuits filed in the US by rightsholders against AI firms, including by major labels and music publishers, have sought to clarify that AI developers must seek authorisation to use copyright protected works to train their models. Sony have also issued 20,000 takedown notices for ‘AI-generated soundalikes’ over the past year, while generative AI platforms continue to expand their reach. For instance, 10 million users have accessed the AI music generator Suno in its first eight months.
But, as Michael from Orfium argues, work can be done to protect songwriters’ rights while also harnessing AI’s potential for good.
'As with any disruptive technology, AI carries a number of risks and it is essential to safeguard against them,’ he says. ‘If we do this, its benefits can far outweigh the negatives.’
