AI and music: how to declare your works correctly
A new reality requires clear rules. From now on, register your work with an AI indication in MyWorx. Together, we ensure transparency, accurate metadata and better management of your repertoire.
Submit your work via MyWorx Go to the FAQWhy indicate the use of AI when registering your work?
Generative AI is changing the way music is created. From inspiration to fully generated songs, AI influences the creative process and the way works are evaluated. More and more members use AI as a source of inspiration, as a tool, or for specific creative components.
AI is also playing an increasingly important role in the wider music sector. Sabam wants to ensure that authors are compensated correctly and fairly, including when their works are used to train AI models. As a management society, we administer copyright‑protected works; it is therefore essential to know the human creative contribution underlying a declaration. This assessment always remains the responsibility of the author or publisher.
Sabam does not want to slow down this evolution, but to deal with it in a transparent and responsible way. Thanks to the AI indication, we can correctly classify works, better interpret similarities and strengthen our detection and monitoring systems.
What are the benefits?
- Transparency – clarity about the creative process allows correct documentation and classification of works.
- Better management – accurate information strengthens our detection and monitoring systems.
- Preparation for new rules – aligned with potential future Belgian and European obligations concerning AI use.
Our principle remains the same: those who create must be valued, and those whose work contributes to the development of AI technologies must be able to share in the value generated.
How does it work?
When you register a new work, the first question is:
“Did you make use of AI?”
- Select “No” — your work is registered as a fully human creation.
- Select “Yes” — then choose one of the three options below, depending on the role AI played.
The three AI options
AI as assistant
AI only supported you during the creative process, but you made all creative decisions yourself (for example: AI provided ideas, suggestions or technical help, but you wrote the lyrics and the composition yourself).
→ The song is protected by copyright.
AI as component
AI generated either the lyrics or the composition, and you created the other part by making sufficient creative choices (for example: AI‑generated lyrics + your composition, or AI‑generated composition + your lyrics). You did not modify the part generated by AI.
→ Only the part you created is protected by copyright.
Fully generated by AI
Both the lyrics and the composition were generated entirely by AI, and you did not make sufficient creative modifications (for example : a song created entirely by AI based on a prompt).
→ This song is not protected by copyright.
Examples: which category should I choose?
- AI provided ideas → AI as assistant
- AI wrote my full lyrics, the composition is my own → AI as component
- One AI-generated instrumental layer → AI as assistant
- Composition and lyrics fully generated by AI → fully AI
- I re‑performed an AI composition and wrote the lyrics → AI as component
Additional benefit: mp3 upload available
When you submit a work, you can now immediately add an audio file. This file is automatically linked to MyTrax, enabling faster recognition of your music on radio, television and in clubs.
This allows us to manage your rights even more efficiently and precisely.
How Sabam monitors your repertoire
The AI indication enhances our monitoring through:
- MP3 comparison
- Audio fingerprinting
- Analysis of similarities using AI‑supported systems
Sabam’s position towards AI providers
AI models are often trained on vast quantities of existing music created by authors. That is why Sabam advocates transparency around datasets used, prior authorisation and appropriate remuneration when creative works are used to train such systems.
Advocacy: Sabam defends your creations
- Collaboration with European umbrella organisations such as GESAC
- Dialogue with Belgian policymakers
- International cooperation on transparency and data usage
FAQ — Authorship, AI and your rights
What are the risks when I share my lyrics, compositions or musical ideas with an AI platform?
When you upload lyrics, compositions or other creative ideas to an AI service, you often automatically grant certain rights to that platform. Many companies state in their terms of use that they may reuse your material, for example to further train their system. In some cases, you even grant a worldwide, non‑exclusive and royalty‑free licence without realising it.
Additionally, some AI providers impose restrictions on how you may use the output they generate. Commercial use, sharing on platforms or using it in professional projects may be prohibited or limited.
In summary:
- you may unintentionally give up rights to your own work;
- your freedom to use AI‑generated output may be limited.
Always read the terms of use carefully before uploading creative works into an AI tool.
Why does Sabam ask members to declare songs fully generated by AI?
Sabam encourages members to declare songs that are entirely generated by AI. This allows us to gain a clear picture of how AI is currently used in the creative sector. It helps us tailor our services to new developments and prepare for potential legislative changes.
Important: songs fully generated by AI are currently not considered to be protected by copyright. Sabam cannot collect or distribute royalties for them. As regulations evolve rapidly, registration enables us to respond quickly should rights or remuneration become applicable in the future.
Why does Sabam protect its repertoire against use by AI systems?
Sabam wants to prevent AI platforms from using its repertoire to train their models without permission. Today, music, lyrics, images and other creative works are widely used for AI training, often without transparency, remuneration or the knowledge of the creators.
By applying a clear reservation regarding text‑mining and data‑mining of its repertoire by AI platforms, Sabam ensures that anyone wishing to use Sabam‑managed works must first request permission, negotiate terms and provide appropriate remuneration.
This protects the exclusive rights of authors, composers and publishers, while allowing room for technological innovation that respects creativity.
What does Sabam do to maintain a fair balance between innovation and protection?
Sabam supports technological developments such as AI — as long as they respect creators’ rights. The creative sector can only evolve sustainably if innovation goes hand in hand with fair remuneration and transparency. Therefore, Sabam focuses on:
- Transparency obligations regarding the datasets used to train models;
- Mandatory licences and prior authorisation for the use of creative material;
- Fair remuneration for authors, composers and publishers;
- International cooperation with sister societies;
- Active legal follow‑up on unauthorised use of protected works.
Sabam strives for a sustainable balance: innovation can advance, but not at the expense of the creators whose work underpins it.
I created a song with the help of AI. Can I become a Sabam member?
Yes, you can become a Sabam member as long as your song results from your own creative choices for at least the lyrics or the composition.
If AI acted as an assistant during the creation process, the work remains a human creation and full membership is possible.
If AI is a component (AI‑generated lyrics or composition), Sabam can only manage your human share — membership remains possible.
A work fully generated by AI is not considered a copyright‑protected work and cannot be managed by Sabam. In that case, membership does not make sense.
Am I personally responsible for submitting my work correctly? And does filing a work mean it is protected?
Yes. As a member, you are responsible for fully and correctly registering your repertoire and for ensuring that the works you declare are protected by copyright. This applies to all works, created with or without AI.
You are therefore personally responsible for determining whether your creative contribution is sufficiently original. Sabam cannot determine whether a work is protected by copyright. We process only the information you provide when filing a declaration, and we manage your work on the basis of your own statement.
Important: filing a work with Sabam does not mean that it is automatically protected by copyright. Sabam does not perform any legal assessment to verify whether a declared work meets the conditions for copyright protection.
Only a judge can decide this.
Is AI‑generated music royalty‑free?
No. AI‑generated or synthetic music is not royalty‑free. AI systems are trained on millions of existing songs, recordings and compositions — usually without the rights holders’ permission. Output may therefore contain protected elements.
What truly is royalty‑free:
- works whose copyright has expired (70 years after the author’s death);
- music not based on existing works and explicitly released for free use by its creator.
AI‑generated music rarely meets these conditions.
Does a user need a licence to use AI‑generated music?
Yes, almost always. Most companies offering “AI music” do not yet operate according to copyright rules. They train their systems on protected repertoire without permission, transparency or remuneration.
Until formal agreements exist between Sabam and AI platforms, the public use of AI‑generated music falls under existing Unisono licences. This ensures legal certainty and proper remuneration for creators.
In summary:
- AI music is not automatically royalty‑free;
- without a licence at the source, the legal risk lies with the user;
- a Unisono licence provides legal certainty and correct remuneration.
What happens with the money Sabam receives for the use of AI‑generated music?
AI platforms do not reveal which songs were used to train their models. Sabam therefore cannot identify the exact rights holders.
We distribute these amounts through substitution lists: representative playlists from retail, hospitality, fitness and events. We examine which music would normally be played in such environments and remunerate the authors, composers and publishers of those real works.
This ensures that the money still flows back to the creators whose music forms the creative basis on which many AI models build.
Get started with your registration
Register your work in MyWorx and indicate the role of AI. This helps ensure correct metadata and a smoother processing of your repertoire.
Submit your work via MyWorx member@sabam.be