Björn Ulvaeus said the music industry has not yet seen the full potential of AI-generated music during a recent event in Geneva [1].
As the co-founder of ABBA and the current president of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), Ulvaeus holds a pivotal role in shaping how intellectual property is managed in the digital age. His advocacy focuses on ensuring that the transition to AI-driven creativity does not strip human artists of their livelihoods.
Ulvaeus spoke at a CISAC-organized event in Switzerland to address the rapid integration of artificial intelligence into the creative process [1]. He said that while the technology is evolving, the industry is only seeing the beginning of its capabilities. "We haven't seen what it can do yet," Ulvaeus said [1].
Beyond the technical possibilities, Ulvaeus emphasized the necessity of a legal and financial framework that protects creators. He said that artists whose works are used to train AI systems must be fairly compensated for their contributions. The current trajectory of AI development risks concentrating wealth and power among a few tech giants while sidelining the original creators [1].
"It shouldn't be a case of the winner takes it all when it comes to AI and creativity," Ulvaeus said [1].
This push for compensation is supported by the scale of the organization Ulvaeus leads. CISAC represents more than five million creators across music, film, literature, and the arts [1]. The organization seeks to establish a global standard for how royalties and licensing fees are handled when AI generates content based on existing human intellectual property.
Ulvaeus said that the industry must move beyond simple gratitude toward the tools and instead implement a system of payment. He said that the industry has not yet reached the peak of AI's influence, suggesting that "we ain't seen nothing yet" regarding the scale of the disruption [1].
“"We haven't seen what it can do yet"”
The shift toward AI-generated music creates a fundamental tension between technological efficiency and copyright law. By leveraging his position at CISAC, Ulvaeus is attempting to move the conversation from a purely technical debate to a labor and rights issue. If a global standard for AI training compensation is established, it could redefine the economic model of the creative arts, shifting the power balance from AI developers back toward the original copyright holders.
