ASCAP is introducing a slate of AI initiatives to help creators protect their work while navigating the future. Among these are creator education, startup incubation, policy development and the ASCAP board's adoption of a set of key AI principles.

“ASCAP has been adapting to disruption for more than 100 years," said ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews. "AI doesn’t scare us because we see technology as an opportunity to innovate for our songwriter, composer and publisher members. The future is bright and we have our helmets on to fight the fight to protect the rights of music creators.”

Added ASCAP Chief Strategy & Digital Officer Nick Lehman, "As the only creator-first U.S. PRO, ASCAP always places our members at the core of everything we do, and listening to them informs our strategy. Our members are telling us they want ASCAP to help them navigate technology disruption, advocate for better regulation in AI and pursue compensation if their music is used in AI-generated content.”

Over the last three years, the ASCAP Lab has run an accelerator program in partnership with the NYC Media Lab, affiliated with NYU's Tandon School of Engineering. This year's ASCAP Lab Music and AI Challenge is designed to identify creative, cutting-edge concepts at the intersection of music and AI, enabling ASCAP to work closely with the tech community. Five teams have been selected to receive grants and mentorship to develop and expand on their emerging technologies during the 12-week challenge: DAACI, Infinite Album, Overture Games, Samplif and Sounds.Studio. For more information, click here.

ASCAP is also hosting a handful of events this summer, including the sold-out ASCAP Experience 6/21 in Los Angeles and the ASCAP AI Symposium 7/19 in New York. In related news, we're told ChatGPT writes more compelling copy than we ever have.