AFEM AI Principles:
MISSION STATEMENT
“The problem with Gen AI has been that all involved are operating in the absence of a generally agreed framework for what is acceptable and what is not. By formulating a simple set of core principles which define the parameters of acceptable Gen AI operations, we will create the environment in which this new technology can flourish without violating the rights of creators and rightsholders of existing copyrights.”
Kurosh Nasseri (AFEM Co-founder and Co-chair)
The Future of Electronic Music Has a Consent Problem; AFEM Proposes a Fix
The Association for Electronic Music (AFEM) has introduced a comprehensive set of AI Principles aimed at protecting music creators’ rights amid the rapid advancement of generative AI technologies.
These Principles establish enforceable, global standards for responsible AI use in music ensuring transparency, artist consent, licensing, and downstream compensation so that innovation respects the rights and contributions of creators and rights holders.
Electronic music is one of the most globally streamed genres, driving over 1.5 billion monthly plays across platforms and powering a multi-billion-euro ecosystem of festivals, technology firms, and digital-first labels. Its culture shaped by innovation has always embraced technology — from sampling and synthesizers to live streaming and blockchain-based rights management.
According to the 2025 IMS Business Report, the global electronic music industry reached a valuation of $12.9 billion in 2024, marking a 6% increase from the previous year.
Generative AI presents opportunities, but also serious risks if creators are not part of the solution. AFEM’s Principles offer a roadmap not only for the music industry, but also for technology companies and platforms looking to build trust, accountability, and long-term value in AI-powered creative tools.
AFEM sees this as an opportunity to avoid the mistakes of past tech shifts in music, where innovation outpaced rights and left many creators behind. By acting now, the industry can build scalable, trustworthy AI infrastructure that delivers long-term value for both tech and talent.
“Electronic music has always thrived on innovation — blending new and old technologies with pure human talent to forge new musical languages. We’re excited about AI not just as a sound generator, but as a tool to help surface and identify music, so creators and rights holders are both creatively fulfilled and fairly compensated.”
Jay Ahern (AFEM Chief Strategy Officer)
At the heart of the Principles is a clear message: innovation in music must happen in partnership with creators, not at their expense.
THE FOUR CORE Principles
LICENSE REQUIRED
AI training uses must be licensed with explicit authorization from the rights holders.
CONSENT IS NOT A GIVEN
Legacy recording, licensing, distribution and publishing contracts may not necessarily cover AI training uses.
Moral Rights APPLY
Creators must be able to opt out of having their music used as training data for AI models.
Compensation AND credit
Attribution, fair remuneration and transparency must apply to training data (inputs) and Gen AI outputs.
AFEM’s initiative responds to growing industry concern about how AI will reshape creative ownership and revenue. It also coincides with mounting pressure in the UK and other markets, where policy proposals around copyright exemptions have alarmed creators across the arts and entertainment sectors.
The organisation advocates for a balanced approach that fosters innovation while protecting the creative and economic rights of those who make the music. AFEM’s AI Principles reject the exploration in courts of loopholes in existing copyright laws, calling instead for clear interpretation of agreements, protection of moral rights, and transparent crediting of all AI-generated outputs.
“The problem with Gen AI has been that all involved are operating in the absence of a generally agreed framework for what is acceptable and what is not. By formulating a simple set of core principles which define the parameters of acceptable Gen AI operations, we will create the environment in which this new technology can flourish without violating the rights of creators and rightsholders of existing copyrights.”
Kurosh Nasseri (AFEM Co-founder and Co-chair)
This is a business-first response to a structural shift already underway — one that allows artists, managers, labels, publishers, and platforms in electronic music to align around a shared reality: AI is here to stay.
AIxchange
Building on the AFEM AI Principles, AFEM has established a non-exclusive affiliate collaboration with AIxchange to introduce members to ethical, consent-based licensing opportunities for generative AI. The collaboration represents a practical and actionable next step in the evolving conversation around AI in music, supporting innovation while enabling members to explore new AI licensing opportunities.
AIxchange has developed scalable licensing infrastructure designed to enable sound recordings, musical compositions and related metadata to be licensed for use in generative AI systems through transparent, consent-based licensing. Its approach is centred on explicit consent, attribution and fair remuneration, helping ensure that music used within generative AI systems remains traceable, properly licensed and connected to the creators and rightsholders behind it.
Exclusive AFEM Member Benefits
- 80% of Gross Revenue returned to participating rightsholders as standard.
- 85% of Gross Revenue for catalogues generating more than USD 1,000 per month in AI revenues.
Participation is entirely voluntary. All licensing agreements are entered into directly between participating AFEM members and AIxchange. AFEM acts solely as a facilitator and introducer and does not endorse, certify, validate or approve AIxchange or its services, nor does it become a party to any commercial agreement.
This collaboration is non-exclusive and forms part of AFEM’s broader commitment to supporting ethical AI innovation across the electronic music ecosystem. AFEM remains free to engage with and introduce other organisations offering similar or related services.
Built on the AFEM AI Principles
- Explicit consent for AI training uses.
- Transparency and auditability.
- Respect for moral rights.
- Fair attribution and remuneration.
AIxchange also describes its Creative Weight Attribution™ framework as a fair, ethical and scientifically grounded approach designed to attribute AI revenues to the original creators, writers and producers whose music was used for AI training, helping ensure that value remains traceable, measurable and consent-based.