Empowering Songwriters: Rallying Congress for AI Safeguards in the Music Industry

Composers and songwriters are converging on Washington to engage with lawmakers regarding the establishment of safeguards for creators in light of the increasing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. 

Around 30 members of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) will hold discussions with members of Congress on Thursday to address the challenges that AI already poses to the industry as part of the organization’s “Stand with Songwriters” advocacy day. 

“We’re in the midst of this. This is a situation that needs to be addressed, and it’s progressing rapidly,” stated ASCAP President Paul Williams to The Hill. 

To keep pace with the swiftly evolving AI landscape, Congress must also take prompt action, according to Williams. 

“We need to be aware of our needs. We are safeguarding the lives and livelihoods of nearly a million members, and across the music industry, this presents a multitude of issues that need to be addressed. And we require the support of legislators,” he emphasized. 

In advance of Thursday’s advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill, several ASCAP members will perform at a “We Write the Songs” concert at the Library of Congress on Wednesday night. This annual event is returning for the first time since 2019. 

The concert will showcase performances across various genres by R&B and pop songwriting duo Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, producer and songwriter Jermaine Dupri, pop songwriter Madison Love, Broadway and screen songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and contemporary Christian artist Matthew West. 

The performers will be introduced by Representatives Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), and Ben Cline (R-Va.). 

ASCAP’s lobbying efforts coincide with lawmakers’ ongoing efforts to regulate AI across a wide range of areas, including copyright protection and national security. The Senate Judiciary Committee conducted a hearing in June that focused on intellectual property concerns arising from AI, as part of several hearings on the risks and benefits associated with the technology. 

Last week, the Senate organized a forum that brought together civil rights leaders and tech CEOs to discuss the diverse range of risks and benefits associated with AI.

While a few legislative proposals have emerged, thus far, the federal government has primarily relied on voluntary commitments from companies to establish the new regulations governing AI. 

During conversations on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Williams said ASCAP members will address the organization’s six guiding principles for protecting AI: prioritizing human creators, promoting transparency, obtaining consent, ensuring fair compensation, providing appropriate credit, and maintaining global consistency. 

“ASCAP is definitely not against technology,” Williams clarified, but he emphasized the need for safeguards to level the playing field.

“We are operating in an increasingly automated world,” he added. “AI has effectively taken over all of culture, leaving no voice for human creators.”