Faster, but still human: AI in music publishing
AI is not a magic fix. It’s a tool. But when shaped by judgement and experience, it can change what publishers can do.
This blog is based on Publishing 2.0: How AI is Streamlining Rights, Royalties, and Sync, a panel I moderated at Music Frontiers 2025 with Laura May (May Music), Henry Marsden (Fix Music), Ben Charlton (Middle8) and Antonio Di Puorto (Monetunes). The session focused on where AI is already making a difference in publishing, and where people still play an irreplaceable role.
What we looked at
Rights registration and conflicts
Rights data must be in order before royalties can flow. AI is already helping to check registrations, flag inconsistencies and close gaps. As Antonio put it,
“No matter how big or small, good or bad: every song deserves to be published. Perhaps it will not have thousands or millions of streams right away, but it could always get picked up by a radio station, get played live, or chosen for a sync placement opportunity. And then you wish it was registered before rather than having to catch up later on.”
Royalties and payouts
AI can trace missing or misallocated royalties and has the potential to facilitate faster payouts. The panel discussed the trade-off between speed and risk. Mistakes happen whether the process is slow or fast.
As Henry asked,
“Would you rather be slow and make mistakes or be faster and still make mistakes?”
Sync placement
Matching songs with sync opportunities is becoming more automated. AI tools are helping to surface relevant placements in film, TV, advertising and gaming. The challenge is ensuring that matches remain accurate, fair, and aligned with the creative intent.
Humans and AI
There was agreement that automation should take on repetitive, data-driven work, while publishers maintain oversight. Trust, quality and nuance still rest with people.
"AI tools will help speed up administration, allowing us to focus on growth and achieving sustainable success." (Laura May)
Final thoughts
The session highlighted that AI is already reshaping publishing workflows, making rights clearer, royalties faster, and sync more accessible. But the technology works best when guided by human expertise and judgement. Publishers who take a thoughtful, balanced approach can make real progress without sacrificing trust.
Thanks to Laura, Henry, Ben, Antonio and the Music Frontiers team for making this such a valuable exchange.
Recommended reading: AI Implementations of Today and Tomorrow, by Henry Marsden
"‘Artificial Intelligence’ is no longer a theoretical technology hovering on the horizon, but is quickly (and with ever-increasing speed) being embedded into everyday workflows- powering products and increasingly shaping entire industries. For the music business, as for every other sector, the question is no longer if AI will matter but how it is being applied in practice today- and where it is likely to drive competitive advantage tomorrow."
