‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Composer and More Speak Out About AI at Ghent’s WSA Film Music Days: ‘We Must Continue to Defend Our Art’

Composers and industry representatives at Ghent’s World Soundtrack Awards Film Music Days argued that human creativity and fair working conditions need protection as generative AI spreads. Their discussions focused on how AI affects copyright, musicians’ livelihoods and the entry-level jobs that help new composers build careers.

The European Composer and Songwriter Alliance represents more than 30,000 composers and songwriters through 57 member organisations. It is calling for permission, fair payment and transparency when music is used to train AI, and warned that uploading music to services such as Suno may grant broad commercial-use rights under their terms. Participants also stressed the value of assistants and other early-career roles, while composer Martin Phipps said AI would still require people to operate it.