CISAC's 2026 Annual Report spotlights global AI copyright reform and creator advocacy
Paris – 28 May 2026 – The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) has released its 2026 Annual Report, detailing a year of intensified global advocacy, policy engagement and progress across CISAC’s global data infrastructure.
The report outlines how CISAC and its global network of authors’ societies responded to accelerating debates around AI and copyright, while advancing creator remuneration campaigns and strengthening global data systems and rights management infrastructure.
Download the Report.
“Artificial intelligence is moving faster than the rules that protect creators,” said Björn Ulvaeus, ABBA co-founder and CISAC President. “The rules governing human creativity are being written now. If transparency and fair remuneration are not built into AI systems from the start, creators everywhere will face the consequences.”
Throughout 2025–2026, CISAC engaged in AI policy discussions across international, regional and national markets, including work at WIPO and UNESCO, implementation of the EU AI Act, and legislative consultations in countries including the UK, Australia, India, Chile and South Korea.
The report also highlights CISAC’s continued advocacy relating to private copying remuneration, audiovisual creators’ rights and Artist’s Resale Right frameworks.
“Today, the responsibility in protecting human creation has never been greater, because the forces threatening it have never been more profound,” said Gadi Oron, CISAC Director General. “The next century will not be defined by technology alone, but by our resolve to ensure that human creativity remains at its heart.”
Alongside its policy work, CISAC continued advancing CIS-Net 2, a major transformation of its global data infrastructure, while further strengthening the ISWC system, including the extensive use of services by publishers and DSPs for the accurate identification of works and creators throughout the value chain.
“The power of the collective has never been more important,” said Dean Ormston, APRA AMCOS CEO and Chair of the CISAC Board. “As we enter the age of AI, creators rightly expect the organisations representing them to keep pace.”
Key highlights from the CISAC 2026 Annual Report
- Global AI advocacy and copyright reform engagement across multiple markets
- Expansion of AI policy resources, studies and guidance for member societies
- Continued advocacy on private copying, audiovisual remuneration and the Artist’s Resale Right
- Deployment of the first stage of CIS-Net 2
- Continued strengthening of the ISWC system and its services, including ISWC IPI Context Search
- Significant growth in CISAC’s global communications and creator engagement
The report is released ahead of CISAC’s landmark centenary General Assembly taking place in Paris on 4 June 2026. Bringing together creators, collective management organisations, policymakers and industry leaders from around the world, the event will focus on the impact of artificial intelligence on human creativity, creator remuneration, and the role of copyright and cultural policy in protecting creators. The event marks 100 years since CISAC’s founding in Paris in 1926.
The CISAC 2026 Annual Report is available in English, French and Spanish.
Media accreditation for the CISAC 2026 General Assembly in Paris is now open. Journalists are invited to apply via this link to attend in person or online. Further details on the programme and access will be shared upon confirmation.