Recording Academy CEO, Harvey Mason Jr., has attempted to clarify the rules surrounding the eligibility of artificial intelligence (AI) works for Grammy Awards. This comes weeks after the Grammys announced certain restrictions on AI works being considered for awards. In this article, we will delve into the AI guidelines set by the Recording Academy and the implications for AI-generated music in the Grammy Awards. News source…
AI Guidelines and Implications
In mid-June, the Recording Academy introduced several rule changes, including guidelines specifically addressing AI. The main stipulation states that a work with no human authorship is not eligible for any Grammy categories. However, questions arose regarding the remaining AI policies and the subjective nature of incorporating AI in musical efforts.
According to the guidelines, the human authorship component must be meaningful and more than de minimis, which means it must have significance or importance. Harvey Mason Jr. elaborated on this point, stating that AI music and content would be allowed for submission, but awards would only be given to human creators who have made significant creative contributions in the appropriate categories. For songwriting-based categories, the majority of the work must have been done by a human, and for performance categories, only human performers would be considered.
Elaboration on Eligibility
In a recent interview with the Associated Press (AP), Harvey Mason Jr. expanded on the rules and clarified that a song featuring AI vocals alongside human authors would be eligible for songwriting Grammys, but not for performance awards. On the other hand, if a song was performed entirely by a human, but the lyric or track was AI-generated, it would not be eligible in composition or songwriting categories. Mason Jr. emphasized that as long as humans contribute meaningfully to the creation process, they will be considered for nominations and wins.
Subjectivity and the Last Beatles Record
The issue of subjectivity arises when determining the significance of a human contribution, as mentioned in the “de minimis” guideline. When asked about the eligibility of the upcoming “last Beatles record,” which reportedly uses AI to recreate John Lennon’s voice, Mason Jr. gave a noncommittal response. He stated that he would need to assess the components of the creation before making a judgment. However, he hinted that if certain elements of the record were created by humans, it could be considered eligible for Grammys.
The Recording Academy’s AI guidelines set the framework for considering AI-generated works for Grammy Awards. While AI music and content can be submitted, the focus remains on recognizing the meaningful creative contributions of human creators. The upcoming Grammy nominations, set to be announced on November 10th, and the ceremony on February 4th, will provide further insight into the recognition of AI in the music industry.