May 6th, 2026, Berlin, Atelier Gardens
Laura represented &ai at the panel “AI and Creativity – Who Owns the Music of Tomorrow?” during the GEMA GEMA General Assembly on May 6th in Berlin. It was a great opportunity for networking: our mission to use AI responsibly and keep human creativity at the center naturally finds common ground here.
Moderation: Ela Steinmetz , frontwoman of the trio Elaiza
On the panel:
- Awet Tesfaiesus: Bündnis 90/Die Grünen
- David Schliesing: Die Linke
- Christopher Wieduwilt (The AI Musicpreneur): Founder, artist consultant
- Anja Kathmann: GEMA/Political Communication
The debate highlighted the tension between technological progress and the protection of intellectual property from various perspectives.
Christopher clarified that some providers (e.g., ElevenLabs) are already training on licensed data and that AI offers potential beyond song generation, such as voice restoration, voice licensing, or stem splitting. However, transparency obligations are often still lacking outside the EU.
Anja emphasized GEMA’s pioneering role as the first collecting society to file lawsuits in this context. She made it clear that GEMA does not reject AI as a tool but strictly opposes the unlicensed use of creative works. Protecting copyright remains the central task.
From a political perspective, Awet warned of the social consequences of an unregulated market. She stated there is an urgent need for action, otherwise society will experience a loss of spaces for discourse. Music and art are important pillars of democracy whose diversity must be preserved.
David Schliesing focused his contributions on labor law implications. He expressed concern for the professional world of creatives—from composers to lyricists—who risk losing their fields of work to AI systems. He called for legal regulation, describing the current state as the “Wild West.”
As moderator and practicing musician, Ela brought an important observation from the community: creatives are already joining forces and, for example, consciously recording their own backing vocals to strengthen the human component. She expressed the wish for a dedicated, valued segment for “handmade” music—comparable to an “bio certificate” that clearly identifies human creativity and distinguishes it from AI-generated content.
During the subsequent Q&A session and following conversations, Laura was able to introduce our foundation and establish valuable contacts. We look forward to collaborating with everyone interested in the industry! Follow and let’s talk!