AI-generated music now eligible for copyright registration — as long as human creativity is behind it

AI-generated music can now qualify for copyright registration, the Korea Music Copyright Association (Komca) said Tuesday.

“We have introduced new reporting and registration guidelines that allow the registration of AI-assisted musical works in which a human has played a substantial and leading role in the creative process,” Komca said.

Registration under the new rules became available Monday.

"The purpose of the revision is to formally recognize AI-assisted creative practices while safeguarding the rights of human creators,” the association said.

Previously, AI-assisted music had been barred from copyright registration. Creators registering songs had to certify that no AI had been used. If the work was later found to have involved AI, the association suspended royalty payments, removed the work from its registry and reclaimed royalties.

However, as AI tools — for example, Suno — have rapidly gained traction for composing, arranging and even generating vocals, the need has grown for a framework that can bring such works under a formal management system.

Registration under the new rules requires creators to disclose the role AI played in the work, including the tools used, how they were used and the applicant's own creative input. Applicants must also certify the accuracy of the information.

Supporting materials may include the DAW project file, the musical instrument digital interface, sheet music, different versions of the audio, editing histories, lyric or composition notes, prompts and generation logs, the original AI-generated output alongside the final version and records of collaboration with co-creators.

"We do not require any single document as mandatory proof, nor do we make decisions solely based on whether particular materials have been submitted," the association said. "If additional verification is deemed necessary, either during the registration process or afterward, we may request supporting materials documenting the creative process or conduct technical reviews and internal deliberations."

The revised rules do not extend copyright protection to music created simply by entering one or two prompts into an AI program, a practice commonly referred to in Korean as "one-click composing.”

“We plan to establish a framework allowing the suspension of royalty payments, the recovery of improperly received royalties and the termination of trust agreements if applicants submit false information or register works created entirely by AI without substantial and leading human creative contribution as musical works,” Komca said.

The association also intends to revise its terms and conditions to impose contractual penalties of up to three times the amount of improperly received royalties in case of intentional misconduct or gross negligence.

"This revision is not intended to provide all the answers to the challenges posed by AI-generated music,” Lee Si-ha, the chairman of Komca, said. “It is the first step toward managing a changing creative landscape within an institutional framework. We will build a trustworthy management system that ensures members who create their works honestly are not disadvantaged and that their rights are protected in proportion to their creative contributions."

BY CHOI MIN-JI [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]