During a panel discussion titled "The New Era of Digital Music: Platforms, Content, and Global Opportunities" at the "Universal Music China Summit 2026" in Beijing, Tencent Music Entertainment Group's Vice President of Content Cooperation, Zeng Zhizhong, delivered a speech on the topic of upholding values for music platforms and labels amidst the AI wave.
Zeng Zhizhong highlighted a crucial distinction, noting that AI technology presents a dual-edged sword for the music sector. He emphasized that compliant AI-assisted creation is fundamentally different from unauthorized, illegal AI-generated cover songs.
He pointed out that legitimate AI tools can effectively enhance music creation efficiency and lower the barriers to entry, allowing creators without formal backgrounds to express their ideas. Furthermore, such technology can aid in the digital restoration and preservation of traditional ethnic music, fostering a deeper integration of technology and art.
Conversely, illegal AI cover songs pose a significant challenge to the industry. Zeng Zhizhong stated that the core issue is the unauthorized use of recordings, compositions, and vocal performances, leading to a flood of simulated and homogeneous "substitute content." He described this as a form of "parasitic monetization" that leverages the fame of established artists or IP to gain traffic, bypassing existing copyright protection systems for commercial gain, which severely infringes upon the legitimate rights of original creators.
He warned that this misuse of AI acts like "bad money driving out good," not only diluting exposure for genuine, high-quality works but also potentially regressing consumer attitudes to a state of disregard for copyright and intellectual property, thereby undermining the foundation for the industry's sustainable growth.
The damage from this phenomenon extends beyond content, potentially shaking the industry's core. Zeng cited data from the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), indicating that by 2028, a quarter of global music creator income could be lost, with the total value evaporation across the music industry chain estimated at a staggering 10 billion euros.
To promote the healthy, long-term development of the music industry, Zeng Zhizhong, on behalf of Tencent Music, proposed a four-point framework for building a compliant ecosystem for AI music. The principles are: authorization before training, ensuring proper compensation for rights holders and creators through compliant licensing; content segregation, establishing independent operational categories for AI-generated content to avoid algorithmic promotion of content flooding; enhanced technical support, advocating for an industry-wide effort to build AI detection systems ensuring content is "identifiable and traceable"; and protection of vocal rights, mandating that voice cloning requires separate authorization and explicit personal consent.
Comments