Sweden Launches AI Music License To Protect Song Creator

Swedish illustration (photo; dock. pexels)

JAKARTA - Music rights organizations in Sweden introduced a new license that allows artificial intelligence companies (AIs) to legally use copyrighted songs to train their models, while ensuring songwriters and composers continue to get paid.

The move announced by the music rights group STIM on Tuesday 9 September is a response to a surge in the use of a generative AI in various creative industries that have sparked lawsuits from artists, writers and copyright holders. The creators accuse AI companies of utilizing copyrighted material without permission or compensation in the model training process.

The licenses developed by STIM, which represent more than 100,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers, allow the AI system to practice using copyrighted work with the obligation to pay royalties to creators.

According to the International Confederation of Communities and Composters (CISAC), AI can reduce the income of music creators by 24% by 2028.

We show that technological disruptions can be accommodated without damaging human creativity. This is not only a commercial initiative, but also a blueprint for fair compensation and legal certainty for AI companies, "said Lina Heyman, STIM's interim CEO, in a statement.

In 2028, the generative AI output in the music sector is estimated to reach around 17 billion US dollars (Rp277.61 trillion) per year, according to CISAC.

Sweden has previously also been a pioneer in setting industry standards for platforms like Spotify and TikTok. These new licenses include technology required to track the results of AI-generated works, so transparency and payments to creators can be guaranteed.

Songfox, a Stockholm-based startup, became the first company to operate under this license, allowing users to legally create AI-made songs and covers.