Abstract
This is a summary of the paper Protecting Human Creativity in AI-Generated Music with the Introduction of an AI-Royalty Fund by Sabine Jacques and Mathew Flynn. This paper examines how generative artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming music creation, copyright and the wider cultural economy. It highlights the need to protect human creativity when AI systems are trained on copyright-protected works. The authors argue that these systems depend on high-quality material produced by human creators. However, AI outputs may displace creative labour and reduce the income of human creators in the music sector. They contend that copyright law should evolve to maintain a fair and sustainable creative environment.
The paper proposes an AI-royalty fund as a practical response. The fund would collect contributions from AI services that generate music and redistribute them to human creators. The model links copyright policy with social rights principles, including those in the European Social Charter (ESC). The fund aims to protect livelihoods, support cultural diversity and strengthen regional music communities. Its broader purpose is to help preserve human creativity and sustain the music sector as AI becomes more prominent.
Summary
Introduction
This paper begins by describing the shift from physical formats to digital distribution in the music industry. This transition has changed how music is created, shared and used, and it has required repeated updates to copyright policy. Earlier technologies generally complemented human creativity by improving production and distribution processes, while current artificial intelligence (AI) systems can generate content that imitates human-created works.
These developments raise questions that the current copyright framework does not clearly resolve. AI-generated content challenges the assumption that copyright is based on human authorship. It also creates economic risks. If machine-produced works fall outside copyright protection, they could be reused freely unless contractual terms apply. This may weaken incentives for human creators and reduce investment in new works. UK law provides copyright protection for computer-generated works, but it remains unclear whether such rights belong to the system’s developer or its user.
AI systems that generate music have renewed discussions about the nature and value of creativity. Policymakers have started to respond. The UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Music has called for clearer rules, better documentation and transparency for AI-generated music. The paper outlines three regulatory options: taking no action, regulating the use of training data or regulating AI outputs. The authors support output-based intervention and propose an AI-royalty fund managed by the Council of Music Makers and the Independent Society of Musicians.
The paper first reviews the main copyright theories and principles. It then explains why an AI-royalty fund is needed and how it would operate in practice. Lastly, it considers the fund’s broader implications for the music sector.
