Pictured: Niamh Smyth, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation with Martin Clancy, AI:OK founder (Photo by Paul Sharp – Sharppix)
‘BOLD IRISH INITIATIVE’ TO INFORM MUSIC LOVERS AND PROTECT ARTISTS FROM UNETHICAL AI
Minister Niamh Smyth to address creators and industry amid concern about increase in AI-generated music and art
Dublin, May 22, 2025; Artists, technologists and music industry professionals will gather today at the National Concert Hall in Dublin for Let’s Make AI:OK for Music and the Creative Sector — a landmark event exploring the impact of artificial intelligence on music and launching the new AI:OK Literacy Programme for ethical AI in the creative industries.
Niamh Smyth TD, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation will speak at the event.
In addition to launching the Literacy Programme, the event will serve as a listening platform. Artists, rights-holders and attendees will be invited to share their experiences, hopes and concerns about AI’s role in creative work.
The AI:OK team is calling on creative community members to help shape the next phase of the Literacy Programme and AI:OK trustmark system (see Notes), ensuring these tools reflect the real needs and ethical priorities of those working at the intersection of art and technology.
Hosted by musician and researcher Dr. Martin Clancy, Senior Research Fellow at the Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics and Policy Fellow at Trinity College Dublin’s Long Room Hub, this free event fosters a solutions-focused dialogue around originality, ownership and artistic integrity in the age of AI.
Minister Niamh Smyth says “Ethical, fair and safe AI is at the heart of the Ireland and the EU’s approach to the digital transformation. We are a nation of creatives and we have a thriving digital innovation ecosystem. We don’t have to choose between the two. AI adoption offers huge societal and economic benefits. As we implement the new EU AI Act, we will have the tools to ensure that this happens fairly.”
The rise of generative music tools has sparked concern across the global creative sector. Artists warn of unchecked plagiarism, job displacement and a flood of unlabelled AI-generated tracks. Just this month, French streaming platform Deezer revealed that 18% of all newly uploaded songs are fully AI-generated — over 20,000 tracks per day, doubling the figure from just four months ago.
In February, over 1,000 musicians, among them Kate Bush, Cat Stevens, and Annie Lennox, released a silent protest album, decrying what they described as ‘legalised music theft’.
The AI:OK Literacy Programme is an educational initiative designed to support artists and creatives in understanding and navigating the ethical use of AI, guided by the recommendations of Ireland’s AI Advisory Council.
Speakers joining Dr. Clancy:
Niamh Smyth TD, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation
Prof Noel O’Connor, CEO of Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics
Prof Gerardine Meaney, Director of the UCD Centre for Cultural Analytics in the School of English, Drama and Film and principal investigator at the Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics
Anna McPartlin, best-selling author, film producer, and screenwriter for RTÉ’s Gone
Ciaran Conroy, Acting CEO of the Association of Independent Music Ireland (AIM Ireland)
Deputy Sinead Gibney TD, Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport
This initiative is co-organised by Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics and the ADAPT Research Ireland Centre for AI-Driven Digital Content Technology, with support from Enterprise Ireland and Research Ireland.
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NOTES
AI:OK
AI:OK is an international initiative based at Dublin City University’s Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics and founded by Dr. Martin Clancy, a Policy Fellow at Trinity College Dublin’s Long Room Hub. The project develops tools, standards and trust-based frameworks for ethical AI in music and the creative industries. Backed by Enterprise Ireland and supported by global industry stakeholders—including the RIAA, NMPA, Recording Academy, and Music Tech Europe—AI:OK promotes transparency, safeguards originality, and empowers creators in an increasingly AI-driven world. Its flagship offerings include the AI:OK Trustmark certification system and the AI:OK Literacy programme, designed to help creators, platforms and policymakers navigate the future of creativity with integrity. www.ai-ok.org
The ADAPT Research Ireland Centre for AI-Driven Digital Content Technology
The ADAPT Research Ireland Centre for AI-Driven Digital Content Technology brings leading academics, researchers and industry partners together to deliver excellent science, engage the public, develop novel solutions for business across all sectors and enhance Ireland’s international reputation. Coordinated by Trinity College Dublin and co-hosted by Dublin City University, ADAPT’s partner institutions include University College Dublin, Technological University Dublin, Maynooth University, Munster Technological University, Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest, and the University of Galway. https://www.adaptcentre.ie/
The Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics
The Insight Research Ireland Centre for Data Analytics is one of Europe’s largest data analytics research organisations, with over 450 researchers, more than 80 industry partners and €150+ million in funding. Its research spans Fundamentals of Data Science, Sensing and Actuation, Scaling Algorithms, Model Building, Multi-Modal Analysis, Data Engineering and Governance, Decision Making and Trustworthy AI. Insight is made up of four host institutions at DCU, University of Galway, UCC and UCD. Insight’s partner sites are Maynooth University, Tyndall, TCD and UL. www.insight-centre.org