AI:OK Brings the Music Industry Together to Determine & Communicate Ethical Use of AI

27 June 2024 - Press release

Backed by funding from Enterprise Ireland and supported by organisations including A2IM, Deezer, Fairly Trained, NMPA, and RIAA

Music industry thought leaders and technology strategists Dr. Martin Clancy, (AI:OK Founder) and David Hughes (AI:OK Strategy Lead) today launched AI:OK with the intention of identifying ethically aligned music products and services in the age of AI. AI:OK, based in Dublin City University, has received funding from the Irish government through Enterprise Ireland via their Commercialisation Fund, which supports academic teams to bring their cutting edge technology ideas and tools to global markets.

“We’ve been working towards this launch with major industry stakeholders for several years now and are elated to step into the light with AI:OK,” said Clancy. “We’re dedicated to making sure AI is used ethically, and that creators and consumers share the same confidence in the music we all listen to and create together. With AI continuing to evolve at a staggering rate, we felt it necessary to bring the music industry this much-needed step forward.” 

“We’re excited to be announcing AI:OK as we face the collective challenges and opportunities presented by AI. We look forward to gathering the initial advisors so we can begin to define what the music industry agrees is ‘OK,’” added Hughes. “While we’re still in the early stages, we are dedicated to addressing the opportunities and challenges AI presents to the industry, and guiding the conversation and way forward.”

“When I first heard of AI:OK, it captured my imagination," said Prof. Tomas Ward, Director of Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics. "While the mission is simple, the implementation is complex. At Insight, Ireland's €150-million-funded research centre, we have the technological and financial resources to help make AI:OK a reality."

"I am delighted to see AI:OK working to address the huge challenge that is AI in the music ecosystem,” added Ed Newton-Rex, Founder & CEO of Fairly Trained. “Where Fairly Trained has a narrow focus on training data in a broad set of creative industries, AI:OK has a wider focus on responsible AI issues, specifically in the music industry. It will take a village to resolve the issues in generative AI, and Fairly Trained looks forward to working closely with AI:OK to build that village."

AI:OK has received initial letters of support from organisations including Ableton, A2IM, Music Sweden, NMPA, RIAA, and Grammy Award-winning Producer Albhy Galuten. In addition to letters of support, AI:OK has also established a network with Research Partners including Deezer, Dublin City University, Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics, and Trinity College Dublin. AI:OK has initiated coordination with related initiatives including DDEX and Fairly Trained, and has also engaged in positive and constructive discussions with UK Music and its community of members including AIM, The Music Producers Guild (UK), and PPL.

The mission of AI:OK is to promote responsible AI principles. AI:OK’s main objectives are:

• Self-regulation - creating a framework for the industry to self-regulate and embrace AI responsibly
• IP and financial wellbeing - ensuring IP protection and sustainable economic growth for all music stakeholders
• Transparent standards - determining clear criteria so that the supply chain and end users can easily identify music that is ethically produced in the era of AI
• Innovation and opportunity - empowering the industry with innovative solutions and enabling new business opportunities

AI:OK brings distinct advantages to the music ecosystem including:

• Industry forum - creating a network managed collectively by the music industry to proactively shape the future of music in the era of AI
• Global standards - establishing and coordinating industry-wide agreed-upon criteria, to pre-empt and influence legislation (regionally deployed)
• Timely response - using dynamic mechanisms to address and swiftly correct non-compliant behaviour
• Research excellence - leveraging world-class research to inform best practices and technological advancements

In order to assure consumers and creators alike, AI:OK will issue a trustmark denoting music created responsibly in the era of AI. The use of the trustmark will be based on criteria agreed upon through a consensus-driven process. To do this, an AI:OK Music Advisory Council will be assembled to guide the formation of a music industry stakeholder-led forum. This forum will bring together a diverse range of music industry participants where the criteria for what is “OK” in the age of AI can be discussed and determined. The aim of the resulting forum will be to establish and coordinate industry-wide standards.

This forum, comprising a wide range of stakeholders wanting to ensure a music industry that fairly compensates and respects the interests of all creators and their representatives, will be united by purpose and focused on fairness. It will achieve this through a collective of dedicated members working towards sustainable and equitable outcomes for human talent in an industry evolving with AI.

Through regular member meetings, the AI:OK Music Advisory Council and the resulting music industry-led forum will facilitate rapid and flexible responses to new trends and developments in the marketplace while providing a collaborative environment for discussing industry matters, in an anti-trust sensitive manner.

The AI:OK organisation is led by Founder Dr. Martin Clancy, Founder Chair of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Global AI Ethics Arts Committee, Senior AI Research Fellow at DCU Insight, Policy Fellow at Trinity College Dublin, and author of the book “Artificial Intelligence and Music Ecosystem”; Strategy Lead David Hughes, International Music Industry Executive and Business & Technology Strategist; Head of Business Operations Sarah Keane; Lead Architect Dr. Iman Zolanvari; and U.S. Data Market Specialist Laurie Jakobsen, Founder & President of Jaybird Communications and PR and marketing strategist.