Sweden’s music rights body STIM has rolled out a groundbreaking licence that lets artificial intelligence companies train their systems on copyrighted songs while guaranteeing royalties for songwriters and composers.
Announced Tuesday, the initiative comes amid mounting tensions between creators and AI firms, with lawsuits piling up over the use of copyrighted works without consent or compensation. STIM, which represents more than 100,000 music publishers, composers, and songwriters, said the new licence strikes a balance between innovation and protection.
“We show that it is possible to embrace disruption without undermining human creativity. This is not just a commercial initiative but a blueprint for fair compensation and legal certainty for AI firms,” said Lina Heyman, STIM’s acting CEO.
The stakes are high. The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) estimates AI could cut music creators’ incomes by nearly a quarter by 2028, even as generative music revenue could reach $17 billion annually.
The licence also requires built-in technology to track AI-generated outputs, ensuring transparency and payments. Songfox, a Stockholm startup, is the first company to adopt the framework, enabling users to legally generate AI-driven songs and covers.
Sweden, which once set global benchmarks with Spotify and TikTok licensing, is again shaping the future of music rights in the AI era.
