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MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The music industry in Australia is set to prohibit tracks that are entirely generated by artificial intelligence from appearing on official charts, as growing generative technologies pose challenges to the livelihoods of musicians, a representative announced on Tuesday.
This decision coincides with the success of a variation of Madonna's classic hit “Like a Prayer,” produced by an Australian using AI-generated vocals and instrumentation. This track has spent an impressive 16 weeks in the Australian top 20, sparking discussions on the role of generative AI in music. It reached a high of number two on the Australian Record Industry Association’s (ARIA) top 20 singles chart in May and was positioned at fourth on Tuesday.
Starting next Monday, tracks created entirely by AI will be banned from the ARIA charts. However, music that is partially assisted by AI can still qualify, according to an ARIA statement.
To be eligible, songs must be predominantly human-created, needing human writers, performers for lead vocals, and primary instrumental contributions, among other criteria.
Additionally, AI-generated compositions will not qualify for the highly regarded ARIA awards.
Annabelle Herd, the chief executive of ARIA, expressed that these adjustments are intended to uphold the dynamic nature of the industry while emphasizing the importance of human artistry in a rapidly evolving technological environment.
“The ARIA Charts will continue to serve as a clear reflection of Australia’s music consumption. However, creating a chart that rewards unlicensed AI output would undermine the very foundation of the recorded music industry we are dedicated to representing," Herd noted.
There are also stipulations that any music eligible for the charts must be produced through legal AI services, as unauthorized use of artists’ works has become an issue, with AI tools reportedly being trained on such music.
The Australian regulations align with the new guidelines introduced in July by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, based in London, which advocates for the global recording industry.
According to these international standards, for a track to qualify for official music charts, it needs to be “substantially human-made.”
Alexis Weaver, a composer and lecturer at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, remarked to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that discussions surrounding AI's integration in music are “exceptionally fraught and very emotional for a lot of musicians, leading to varied opinions.”
Weaver praised ARIA’s decision as a “wonderful step forward,” signaling the organization's commitment to prioritizing and valuing human creativity amid the challenges of utilizing AI. She acknowledged that while it can be difficult to navigate the current landscape without AI tools, there is a way to engage with them while maintaining control over the creative process.
