ASCAP, BMI, and SOCAN (the primary Canadian Music licensor) jointly updated their registration policies to accept partially AI-generated musical works—compositions that combine AI-produced elements with human authorship. These works can be registered directly with each society and will be included in their licensed repertoires. Compositions created entirely by AI remain ineligible.
The organizations said the alignment reflects how songwriters and composers increasingly use AI tools within normal creative workflows. They emphasized that responsible AI development must respect creators’ rights and rejected the idea that training models on copyrighted music without permission, compensation, or credit qualifies as fair use.
Elizabeth Matthews of ASCAP framed the change as a pragmatic clarification. She said AI can be a powerful tool for members when the law puts humans first and technology companies play fair and respect creators’ rights. Mike O’Neill of BMI called the policy shift an important first step that protects human creativity while supporting creators who use AI to enhance their process, adding that all music creators benefit when registrations for partial AI works properly value human contributions and ensure accurate payment. Jennifer Brown of SOCAN said the alignment offers a legal and ethical path forward that keeps the future of music deeply human.
The move follows guidance from the United States Copyright Office, which determined that works made solely by AI are not copyrightable, while works containing sufficient human expression can receive protection. The societies said their approach aligns with that standard by requiring identifiable human authorship in any registrable composition.
Beyond registration, the three PROs underscored their broader advocacy on AI policy in the United States and Canada. They cited support for meaningful legislation, participation in major policy studies, and backing for lawsuits aimed at curbing the unauthorized ingestion of copyrighted music by AI companies.
For writers and publishers, the practical takeaway is clear: document the human creative contributions in any work that uses AI, ensure that those contributions are substantial enough to meet copyright thresholds, and register the work with accurate authorship information. Under the aligned policies, human-led compositions that incorporate AI as a tool can be tracked, licensed, and paid like any other qualifying work.
—Music Business Worldwide