AI vs. Music Copyright: Who Owns the Songs in the Age of Artificial Intelligence?

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought about major changes in various industrial sectors, including the music industry. Whereas AI was previously used only as a tool to assist in the production process, this technology is now capable of creating lyrics, composing melodies, arranging music, and even producing entire songs based solely on user prompts. This capability opens up new opportunities for musicians, producers, and creative industry professionals to improve efficiency while expanding their artistic scope.

Behind these conveniences lies a fundamental question that remains a subject of debate in many countries: who holds the copyright to songs generated by AI?

In practice, AI’s role in the music creation process can fall along a spectrum. When AI is used solely as a tool to support human creativity—for example, in developing melodic ideas, generating lyric references, or assisting with the arrangement process—copyright generally remains with the human creator as the party providing the primary creative contribution. Conversely, if most or all of the creative process is carried out automatically by AI with very limited human involvement, the status of copyright ownership becomes far more complex.

Many legal studies argue that copyright protection is fundamentally granted to works born of human creativity. Therefore, works produced entirely by AI may not meet the criteria of originality and human creativity, which have long been the primary requirements for copyright protection. Differences in legal approaches across various countries indicate that this issue is still evolving and lacks uniform international standards.

In Indonesia, the development of generative AI has also begun to attract the attention of the government, academics, and music industry stakeholders. Law No. 28 of 2014 on Copyright was drafted long before generative AI technology began to advance as rapidly as it has today. As a result, the regulation does not yet specifically address ownership of musical works generated with the aid of AI, royalty-sharing mechanisms, the threshold for human contribution in the creative process, or legal liability for the use of AI in producing works.

This situation has sparked various discussions regarding the need to update regulations to accommodate technological advancements. A revision of the Copyright Law is expected to provide legal certainty for creators, technology companies, digital platforms, and the music industry as a whole, so that innovation can flourish without compromising the protection of intellectual property rights.

Globally, the discussion surrounding AI in the music industry has also shifted from merely questioning its legality to establishing clearer licensing and compensation mechanisms. A number of major record labels and AI technology developers are involved in various legal disputes regarding the use of song catalogs as AI training data, the unauthorized use of artists’ voices, and the distribution of royalties for works produced using this technology. These developments indicate that the challenges posed by AI are no longer solely related to technological aspects but also involve business governance, investment protection, and the management of intellectual property assets.

For the music industry, AI is a double-edged sword. On one hand, this technology can improve production efficiency, accelerate the creation of works, and open up opportunities for creative collaborations that were previously difficult to achieve. On the other hand, AI also reaffirms the importance of intellectual property (IP) management as the cornerstone of the creative industry. Copyright is no longer viewed merely as a legal protection tool but also as a business asset with high economic value. The value of a song, a music catalog, and even a music company’s competitiveness is increasingly determined by its ability to effectively manage and leverage IP assets.

Moving forward, AI should not be viewed as a substitute for human creativity, but rather as a technology that transforms the way music is created, owned, distributed, and monetized. The greatest challenge lies not only in determining who holds the rights to songs created using AI, but also in establishing a regulatory framework capable of maintaining a balance between technological innovation, legal certainty, and the protection of creators’ rights.

For Indonesia, the momentum of AI development presents a strategic opportunity to strengthen an intellectual property-based music ecosystem. Adaptive regulations, transparent licensing systems, and adequate legal protections will serve as a vital foundation for the national music industry to innovate and compete sustainably on a global scale (OBS).

If you have any further queries regarding this subject, please contact our Associate, Oky Budi Susanto ([email protected]).