SGAE, Spain’s General Society of Authors and Publishers, has called for stronger artificial intelligence (AI) regulation, warning that synthetic music is replacing human creators. Director general Cristina Perpiñá-Robert raised the concern during a panel in Miami on October 20, arguing that licensing alone would not protect creators’ livelihoods.
Perpiñá-Robert said the organisation was “very concerned to see that regulation is insufficient” as creators and authors are being “completely excluded from the business model”.
“Our greatest concern is not so much licensing, but the fact that AI-generated content is completely replacing human creators. That is our concern. Therefore, it is not just about how to license the model, but how to prevent creators from no longer being hired because synthetic music can simply be used instead.”
Study projects risks to copyright income
Perpiñá-Robert cited a study SGAE presented in September 2025, titled The Economic and Social Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Music Creation and Its Effects on Other Areas of Culture. Produced by consultancy Know Media with Carlos III University, it drew on a survey of 1.257 authors.
The study projected the following potential effects of generative AI:
- Up to 28% of music copyright income at risk in 2028, equivalent to around 100 million euros that year.
- A cumulative impact of 160 to 180 million euros between 2025 and 2028.
- Scenarios ranging from 20% to 31%, with 28% considered the likely outcome.
The survey also found that 34% of respondents had used AI tools at some point. Perpiñá-Robert described that use positively, saying those creators “are very happy using it, and it is something very normal”.
SGAE distinguishes between AI used as a tool by authors and synthetic music composed and performed entirely using generative AI.
Compensation for AI-generated content
European collective management organisations, including SGAE, are seeking financial compensation for AI-generated content, which often draws on existing human works.
Perpiñá-Robert said the aim was to “maintain the incentive for creators to keep working, but also to discourage users from using synthetic music”. If users have to pay for it anyway, she added, “then perhaps they might choose to purchase original creative content from human authors”.
She also warned that AI models tend to favour large catalogues of commercial music. She argued that “there must be some form of regulation to ensure that these niche repertoires, which are less commercial than Anglo-American repertoire, continue to be encouraged”, referring to repertoires more prevalent in Europe.
Human creativity remains the registration requirement
On works made with AI assistance, Perpiñá-Robert said: “If it is a work created with the help of AI, it is protected and can be registered,” provided human creativity is involved. SGAE uses technology to detect patterns indicating AI use in works submitted for registration.
Her comments came as an early election in Spain had left the main pending cultural regulations unprocessed.
