CISAC explores artificial intelligence, blockchain and new technologies at JASRAC symposium

Keynoted by electronic music pioneer and CISAC President Jean-Michel Jarre, JASRAC held an international symposium in Tokyo on May 31st.

The symposium included a panel with CISAC Director General Gadi Oron, SOCAN CEO Eric Baptiste, JASRAC President Asaishi Michio, ASCAP Executive Vice-President Tony Dunaif and ParadeALL President Suzuki Takayuki.

The event touched on the major themes and challenges of the digital music market, from technology evolution and the impact on authors, the implications of the streaming world, the changes being driven by CMOs and the need to update the legal environment.  Discussions also examined the relationship between collective management and new technologies including blockchain and artificial intelligence.

Jarre described his relationship with technology in creating music, including his use of “the first element of artificial intelligence” of synthesizers. He described it as an early attempt to share the creative process with technology. He also made it clear that “technology is neutral…it depends on the way that we use it”.

Promoting his work for the Confederation, Jarre noted, “One of the roles of CISAC is to point out that the creator is at the nucleus of any cultural content, including its distribution”. Jarre described the transfer of value and the future of rights before declaring, ”Every sector of our society should get a decent living from their work”.

Gadi Oron outlined the work by CISAC to modernise the global identifier system, the ISWC. He also addressed key issues around the implications of AI for creators: What are the issues raised when machines can not only create works of art but also the creators themselves?  And on the legal front, how do we judge works that are no longer based on the personality of the author but which are created by machines?

A video of the complete symposium can be viewed on JASRAC’s YouTube below.