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

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

DUBLIN, LEINSTER, IRELAND, June 27, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- 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.

About AI:OK
AI:OK is a pioneering initiative dedicated to promoting the responsible use of AI in the music industry. Our mission is to enable the supply chain and end users to easily identify music products and services that are ethically created, and in doing so ensure AI technology enhances human creativity while safeguarding the rights and interests of all music stakeholders. For more information, visit http://ai-ok.org.

AI:OK Media Contacts
Laurie Jakobsen, Jaybird Communications – laurie@jaybirdcom.com, 646.484.6764
Bill Greenwood, Jaybird Communications – bill@jaybirdcom.com, 609.221.2374

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Additional Support for AI:OK

Ableton
“We are thrilled to congratulate our Ableton Certified Trainer, Dr. Martin Clancy, on the launch of AI:OK. Martin’s insightful observations on AI have become a feature of his teaching within his Ableton-focused classes, and we’re pleased to support Martin in his exploration and research in this area. We are looking forward to seeing the outcomes of the AI:OK initiative.”

Dr. Richard James Burgess MBE, President and CEO, A2IM (American Association of Independent Music)
"AI:OK represents a crucial step toward the ethical use of AI in the music industry, ensuring that creators and consumers alike can trust the technology shaping our musical future."

Jen Jacobsen, Executive Director, Artist Rights Alliance
“The Artist Rights Alliance supports AI:OK’s mission to promote a responsible, ethical AI marketplace that respects creators’ rights. We welcome AI:OK into the conversation about how to protect and preserve human artistry alongside this rapidly evolving technology.”

Gee Davy, Interim CEO, The Association of Independent Music (AIM)
"We welcome initiatives aimed at ensuring high standards and responsible development of AI in and with music. The inclusive, cross-border and ethics-based approach proposed by AI:OK aligns with the principles and outlook of the independent music community."

Gill Dooley, CEO of AIM Ireland
“AIM Ireland view the launch of AI:OK as an important milestone for ethical AI in the music industry, providing assurance that both creators and consumers can rely on the technology influencing the future of music.”

AIMP (Association of Independent Music Publishers)
“Ensuring the ethical use of AI in music is vital for all independent music publishers, songwriters, and creators. We are pleased to see AI:OK taking this issue seriously and working toward a solution that preserves the positive aspects of AI for creators while mitigating its risks. We stand in support.”

Aurélien Hérault, Chief Innovation Officer, Deezer
“Our R&D department has been working closely with AI:OK for many years, and together, we are dedicated to building a more sustainable music ecosystem. We are thrilled about today’s announcement and look forward to further strengthening our partnership with AI:OK in the future!”

Enterprise Ireland
“DCU’s AI:OK team succeeded in securing Commercialisation Funding for their research project because they could prove that they had the expertise and global industry support to develop a platform that helps the global entertainment industry agree upon standards and bring confidence to creators and consumers of music alike. AI:OK is equipped to develop and implement a trustmark for the industry to build confidence in the era of AI, and we’re delighted to see Irish research teams build technology that will drive the ethical use of AI in global sectors.”

Ed Newton-Rex, Founder & CEO, Fairly Trained
"I am delighted to see AI:OK working to address the huge challenge that is AI in the music ecosystem. 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."

Albhy Galuten, 2x Grammy Award winner, and producer for Eric Clapton, Dolly Parton, Barbra Streisand and the Bee Gees.
“There is nothing more important than human-to-human connection. We can’t trust those connections without the cornerstones of transparency and accountability that AI:OK stands for. Only then can we rely on AI to enhance rather than diminish our ability to connect as humans.”

Scott Cohen, CEO of JKBX
"We are at a pivotal moment for AI in music. Both the artists and the industry have been leveraging the power of the technology for years but only now is the impact becoming clear. JKBX is proud to support the AI:OK initiative, dedicated to fostering innovation and ethical practices in the music industry.”

Geraldo Ramos, Co-founder and CEO, Music.AI
"We support AI:OK's effort to ensure responsible AI development in music and audio and look forward to working with AI:OK to help develop an inclusive, ethically-centered, global approach that will serve all stakeholders."

Cameron Craig, Executive Director, The Music Producers Guild (UK)
"As a creator personally and as the representative for Music Producers, Mixers and Recording Engineers through the Music Producers Guild (MPG) we remain hopeful about the innovative possibilities AI brings to the table. However, there are crucial concerns that demand attention. AI:OK was the first and only initiative that truly offered hope, with a creator's voice in the mix making them uniquely positioned to foster a consensus within our often fractured but resilient industry."

Karin Inde, President of the Swedish Musician's Union & Board member of Music Sweden
"Martin Clancy has become a catalyst for the parties in the Swedish music industry to mobilize and coordinate its work in accomplishing ethical AI integration in the music industry.”

Music Tech Europe
“Music Tech Europe was set up to facilitate dialogue between music and tech at a European level because we are certain that innovation can't happen without connecting with the music industry on a fundamental level. Therefore, we are delighted to support AI:OK in its mission of promoting ethical AI technology use in music.”

David Israelite, President & CEO, NMPA
“In the Age of AI, it is critical that we can identify trusted platforms that are protecting the interests of the entire backbone of our industry – songwriters. The AI:OK platform is a good step forward through their broader mission to implement an ethical framework that will tackle the unique challenges faced by creators.”

Mark Douglas, Chief Information Officer, PPL
“It is clear from the dialogue we have with our members and wider stakeholder community that generative AI poses a major conundrum for the music industry. Music has been a great adopter of new technology, and we are excited about the huge potential that AI opens up. However, we worry greatly that many platforms depend completely on the decades of incredible music that has been used as training inputs, without permission or payment. The launch of AI:OK is a really positive development to help unlock that conundrum by allowing us to identify and use AI technologies that have been developed and are operated in an ethical and responsible way.”

Mitch Glazier, Chairman & CEO, Recording Association of America^® (RIAA)
“We embrace and encourage ethical AI innovation that respects creators and advances human artistry. The music industry is partnering with dozens of groundbreaking AI companies that respect copyright, and we are gratified that AI:OK is undertaking efforts to protect creators in the AI space.”

Alex Bestall, Founder & CEO, Rightsify
"As a music rights holder that also develops AI models, Rightsify strongly believes in the importance of responsible AI practices. We are excited to support the AI:OK initiative, which we see as a crucial step towards building a more ethical, transparent, and accountable AI ecosystem."

Laurie Jakobsen
Jaybird Communications
+1 917-697-2274
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