What the Supreme Court’s Decision Means for Protecting and Monetizing Your Work

TL;DR: The U.S. Supreme Court recently declined to hear Thaler v. Perlmutter, leaving intact previous rulings that works created entirely by AI cannot be copyrighted. Human creativity remains the core requirement for copyright protection. AI-assisted works may still qualify if meaningful human contributions are documented and disclosed. Creators should carefully track and register the human-authored portions of their work.

Here’s What Actually Happened

You may have seen headlines claiming that AI-generated art and music cannot be copyrighted. Here’s the fact-based takeaway:

• In March 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Thaler v. Perlmutter.
• The case involved a visual artwork, “A Recent Entrance to Paradise”, autonomously created by Stephen Thaler’s AI system, the “Creativity Machine.”
• Thaler first applied for copyright in 2018; the Copyright Office rejected it in 2019 and again in 2022. Federal courts upheld each denial.

Important nuance: The Supreme Court’s refusal is not a landmark ruling. It does not create nationwide binding precedent. It simply leaves the D.C. Circuit Court’s interpretation as the highest active authority on AI authorship in the U.S.

Statutory basis: 17 U.S.C. § 102(a) protects “original works of authorship” fixed in a tangible medium — interpreted to require a human creator.

AI-Generated Works Are Not Copyrightable

The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision confirms that if a work is created entirely by an AI system, with no meaningful human intervention, it cannot be registered for copyright. AI-generated material alone is not copyrightable, regardless of how complex or creative it appears.

At the same time, it’s important to understand what this does not mean. Using AI in the creative process does not automatically bar copyright protection. If a human selects, edits, arranges, or otherwise meaningfully transforms AI outputs, for instance, arranging AI-generated musical loops into a finished composition, those contributions may qualify for protection.

Key points to understand:

• Existing copyright law is sufficient: Courts and the U.S. Copyright Office already provide rules for protecting human creativity.
• Prompts alone do not establish authorship: Simply telling AI what to create is usually insufficient; meaningful input like editing, arranging, or selecting is what matters.
• Human expression in AI-assisted works is protectable: Your creative choices, arrangements, and transformations are the copyrightable elements, even if AI-generated raw material.
• The threshold for contribution is undefined: Courts have not set a strict line for “enough” human involvement, so careful documentation is crucial.
• Disclosure is critical: Failing to disclose AI-assisted elements when registering can lead to refusal, noncompliance notices, or invalidated registration, which can be costly and time-consuming.

Examples:

• Fully AI-generated work: AI produces an image from scratch with no human edits. Cannot be registered.
• AI-assisted work: A creator refines an AI draft, edits, selects elements, and transforms it into a finished piece. Human contributions can be registered, provided the AI’s role is disclosed.

Takeaway: It’s not the AI itself that matters. It’s where human creativity begins, how it’s documented, and that AI involvement is fully disclosed during registration.

Ownership, Monetization, and Risk

Even when an AI-generated work is not copyrightable, creators may still own and monetize their content. For example, you can upload music to streaming platforms or sell AI-assisted art.

Important considerations:

• Liability: AI models are often trained on massive datasets that may include copyrighted works without licenses. If your AI output incorporates someone else’s material, liability usually falls on you.
• Terms of Service: Your rights to monetize AI outputs are defined by platform rules. Read them carefully.
• Documentation: Keep detailed records of your human input — prompts, edits, arrangements, and revisions — to support any claim of authorship.

What You Should Do in an AI-Assisted Workflow

1. Document your creative process
Keep drafts, prompts, revisions, and evidence of human decision-making. Every step that reflects human choice strengthens your claim.

2. Define ownership in agreements
When collaborating with others using AI tools, clarify:

• Who is the author?
• Who owns what?
• How are AI outputs treated?

3. Register strategically
Focus on protecting human-authored portions. Cosynd can help. Full disclosure of AI involvement is critical. Failing to disclose may jeopardize registration and result in costly corrections or legal challenges.

4. Audit your catalog
If AI tools are part of your workflow, review how works are documented and registered. Proper classification and disclosure protect your creative and financial interests.

International Context

U.S. law currently requires human authorship for copyright protection, but other jurisdictions (like the UK, EU, and AU) are exploring different standards for AI-created works. International creators should note that protection rules vary globally. Even if a work isn’t copyrightable in the U.S., other countries may treat AI-assisted content differently. Careful documentation and disclosure of human contributions remain essential for creators operating internationally.

Key Takeaways

• The U.S. Supreme Court did not issue a new ruling; it left the D.C. Circuit decision intact.
• Copyright law prioritizes human authorship; fully AI-generated works are unprotected.
• Human-assisted works may be (partially) protected if meaningful creative input is documented and disclosed.
• Documentation is your best defense. Track edits, selections, and arrangements to safeguard human authorship.
• The legal landscape is evolving, so stay informed, especially if distributing internationally (read: “watch this space”).

Bottom line: AI isn’t replacing authorship, but it is changing how creators prove it. Carefully documenting and registering human-authored portions of your work is essential to protect, monetize, and defend your creations in this evolving AI era.

No Humans. No Copyright. was originally published in cosynd news on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

ICYMI, Anthropic has recently agreed to pay book authors at least $1.5 billion in a landmark class-action settlement, the largest publicly reported copyright recovery in history. This is also the first U.S. class-action settlement centered on AI and copyright, signaling a major shift for the creator economy. Here’s what creators need to know:

What Happened?

Anthropic, the AI company behind the Claude chatbot, was accused of illegally downloading and using pirated books from sites like LibGen and PiLiMi to train its AI models. This was deemed large-scale copyright infringement.

In June 2025, U.S. District Judge William Alsup made two important rulings:

• Using legally acquired books for AI training is fair use.
• Using pirated books is not fair use, denying Anthropic’s request for summary judgment on the piracy issue.

This distinction was key: AI companies can train models on legitimately acquired content, but illegally obtained works remain protected under U.S. copyright law.

However, the settlement is not final yet. At a September 2025 hearing, Judge Alsup criticized the proposed agreement, refusing to grant preliminary approval. He warned the deal risked being “shoved down the throat of authors” and flagged unresolved issues, including:

• How the list of eligible works will be defined.
• How payouts will be shared among co-authors or co-owners.
• Whether the compensation is fair compared to Anthropic’s valuation and potential liability.

Until those details are resolved, the future of this settlement remains uncertain.

Who Benefits from This Settlement?

• Authors and copyright owners whose books were pirated by sites like LibGen and PiLiMi and had a U.S. Copyright Office registration.
• Each of these authors will be eligible to opt into the agreement and receive damages of $3000+ per book and share in the $1.5 billion settlement fund.
• Because this was an opt-out class action, authors unhappy with the terms can request exclusion to file their own lawsuits.
• Anthropic will also destroy the illegally acquired data, a meaningful safeguard for content creators.

Why This Matters

This case is a huge victory, not only for book publishers and authors, but for all copyright owners whose works have been pirated and used for AI training purposes.

• It sets a precedent that AI companies cannot freely train models on pirated content.
• Had the case gone to trial in December, Anthropic could have faced up to $1 trillion in damages (up to $150k per willful infringement). The size of the potential penalty likely influenced the company’s decision to settle.
• Anthropic is now facing other copyright lawsuits, including claims from major record labels, showing this is just the beginning of AI’s copyright accountability.
• Despite the settlement, Anthropic’s $13 billion in new funding and $183 billion valuation demonstrate that AI companies have the resources to pay for legitimate, licensed content.
• It establishes precedent for other media industries, like music, art, and photography, as AI copyright law evolves.

Positives and Challenges of the Settlement

Positives:

• Massive monetary recovery for creators: $1.5B is historic.
• Data destruction ensures pirated works are removed from training sets.
• Legal clarity for fair use of legally obtained books in AI training.
• Signals to AI companies that ethical practices are enforceable and expected.

Challenges / Considerations:

• The settlement has not yet received preliminary court approval. Judge Alsup has raised concerns about fairness, incomplete details, and whether authors might be undercompensated compared to Anthropic’s valuation and potential liability. This means terms could change before the deal is finalized.
• Payments are tied to books confirmed as pirated before August 25, 2025. Outputs from AI tools trained on these books are not included.
• Administrative complexities may arise when multiple authors or publishers claim the same work.
• The process will take time: settlement payments are scheduled across four installments over 24 months.
• Many AI companies still use pirated “shadow libraries”, so similar cases may continue (insert “eyes” emoji).

Broader Implications

• AI companies must shift toward licensing models for the content they use.
• Creators across all media may see increased opportunities for fair compensation when their work is used in AI training.
• Ongoing lawsuits, like those from major record labels against Anthropic, show this issue extends beyond books.

While this case is centered in the U.S., the outcome matters globally. Millions of non-U.S. authors also had works in “shadow libraries” used for AI training, but only those with U.S. copyright registrations are covered here. This underlines the importance of registering works in the U.S. for creators worldwide; it’s often the only way to benefit from settlements and enforcement actions in the American courts where most AI companies operate.

What Creators Can Do Now

1. Register your works with the U.S. Copyright Office: registration opens doors for settlements and legal recourse.
2. Keep evidence of your content creation: dates, drafts, publication info, and digital footprints help assert ownership.
3. Monitor AI tools for unauthorized use of your work: early identification strengthens your position in disputes.
4. Explore licensing opportunities: as AI companies seek legal access to content, creators can proactively negotiate fair deals.
5. Stay informed: AI copyright law is evolving rapidly; knowledge is power. Follow your community advocacy groups alongside the folks at the Copyright Alliance. As always, we will do our best to make sure you stay informed.

What Experts Are Saying

Richard Burgess, President & CEO, A2IM:

“The Bartz v. Anthropic settlement represents a historic step toward accountability and fairness in the AI era. For independent creators, who are often most vulnerable to misappropriation, this outcome affirms that copyright remains essential to a sustainable creative ecosystem.”

Keith Kupferschmid, CEO, Copyright Alliance:

“The settlement is a thunderclap for AI companies attempting to copy and use pirated works. It confirms that responsible AI companies should not use illicit sources, and that any company that does so will face serious consequences. The outcome is likely to apply to many other AI companies in the future.”

Bottom Line

The Anthropic settlement is a watershed moment for creators, publishers, and all copyright owners. Beyond the headline $1.5 billion, its true value lies in clarifying the rules of AI training, rewarding creators, and setting expectations for the AI industry.

For creators, the takeaway is clear: copyright registration matters more than ever. It not only safeguards your work but ensures you’re positioned to benefit from settlements, licensing deals, and future protections as AI law continues to evolve.

Anthropic Settlement: What Creators Need to Know About This Landmark AI Copyright Case was originally published in cosynd news on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We’re pleased to share that Accelerating Angels, an angel investment group dedicated to furthering gender equity by funding high-growth, women-led startups, has invested in Cosynd.

Cosynd helps protect millions of creative works worldwide, reaching over 3 billion people daily. Our platform empowers creators and businesses to secure their rights quickly and reliably through copyright agreements and seamless registration with the U.S. Copyright Office.

Founded in 2022, Accelerating Angels was created by women to back women business owners with the hard-to-access capital they need to scale. The firm focuses on early-stage technology companies solving big problems, making their support of Cosynd an exciting validation of the work we’re doing to strengthen the future of copyright protection.

This investment reflects the growing recognition among investors of the crucial role Cosynd plays as the trusted infrastructure for creative rights.

“Cosynd is revolutionizing how creators protect and monetize their work. Their recent partnerships with SoundCloud and BMI are a prime example of the kind of innovative, industry-shaping progress we want to support,” said Cindi Englefield, Co-Founder and CEO, Accelerating Angels. “With the advancement and rapid use of AI, protecting copyrights is more important than ever.”

👉 Read the full press release on Accelerating Angels’ website.

For millions of artists, protecting their work legally can be intimidating, expensive, or something they’re simply unaware of. But copyright registration is more than just paperwork; it’s the foundation of ownership. It gives creators the legal right to control how their work is used, take action against infringement, and even prevent unauthorized AI training. And now, with this new partnership, SoundCloud users worldwide can register their music (and other creative content) with the U.S. Copyright Office directly through Cosynd, while also creating custom agreements that define ownership with collaborators.

“In an era where AI, synthetic content, and copyright laundering are dramatically displacing income streams for creators, copyright protection isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity,” said Jessica Sobhraj, CEO and Co-founder of Cosynd. “Copyright registration acts as the backbone of our industry by enabling lawsuits and collective bargaining. SoundCloud is leading by example in showing what real support for artists looks like.”

When creators are able to control how their work is used, they’re empowered to share it more freely and intentionally. This fuels the connection between artists and fans, allowing music to remain accessible while affirming that creative work holds real, tangible value. By embedding legal protections into the creator experience, Cosynd is making it easier for artists to both protect and share what they make on their own terms.

With this update, SoundCloud becomes the first major global music platform to offer copyright protection directly into the core artist experience, signaling a new standard for creator support — one where ownership infrastructure is as essential as discovery and distribution.

Read more on Digital Music News and Hits Double Daily

SoundCloud Partners with Cosynd to Put Copyright Protection at the Center of the Creator Experience was originally published in cosynd news on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

AI, Power, and the Fight for Creative Control

The ground is shifting beneath the feet of copyright law — and fast. In recent months, we’ve seen high-level shakeups at the U.S. Copyright Office, a surge in rulings and debates around the copyrightability of AI-generated works, and growing pressure from courts and Congress to rethink how creative ownership is defined.

For creators and rights owners, this moment isn’t just about legal headlines — it’s about the future of authorship, protection, and compensation in a world where machines can generate content with the click of a button. At Cosynd, we’re tracking these changes because they strike at the heart of what we do: helping you protect what you’ve created.

Here’s what you need to know, why it matters, and what you can do right now.

What Just Happened: A Timeline of the Events

● May 8, 2025: President Donald Trump abruptly fired Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla Hayden, the first Black woman to hold this position. The dismissal was reportedly executed via email, citing concerns over her promotion of a “woke” agenda, particularly regarding the inclusion of certain books in libraries.

● May 9, 2025: The U.S. Copyright Office released a 113-page pre-publication draft of Part 3: Generative AI Training from its report on copyright and artificial intelligence.. This part of the report made headlines for strongly suggesting that using copyrighted content to train AI models does not qualify as fair use. This stance directly undermines the legal defense used by many AI companies and affirms that creators deserve compensation when their work is used to build AI systems. The report also clarified that entirely AI-generated works are not copyrightable, and that any human-AI collaborations must disclose AI’s contributions when registering for copyright.

● May 10, 2025: Shira Perlmutter, the Register of Copyrights and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office, was dismissed just one day after the release of the AI report, fueling speculation that her termination was politically motivated. Critics argue that her ousting was a direct response to the report’s position favoring creator rights over AI industry interests.

● May 12, 2025: Paul Perkins and Brian Nieves, senior officials at the Department of Justice, arrived at the U.S. Copyright Office with a letter from the White House asserting their appointments as acting director and deputy librarian, respectively. Library staff, questioning the legitimacy of these appointments, denied them entry. Capitol Police were called, and the two officials departed without incident. This event has intensified concerns over political interference in the operations of the Copyright Office.

● May 13, 2025: The Department of Justice announced that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously represented Donald Trump during his 2024 criminal trial that resulted in multiple convictions, was appointed as the acting Librarian of Congress, replacing Carla Hayden.

● May 16, 2025: The U.S. Copyright Office’s preliminary report on AI and copyright was officially published, emphasizing that the use of copyrighted materials for training generative AI models does not fall under fair use, challenging the primary legal defense of many AI companies.

● May 21, 2025: A coalition of 48 organizations publicly condemned the firing of Carla Hayden, urging Congress to intervene and highlighting concerns over the undermining of the USCO’s independence and the potential ramifications for creators’ rights.

● May 22nd, 2025: Congress, led by House Republicans, passes legislation that bans states from enacting their own AI regulations for a 10-year period and appropriates $500 million for modernizing federal IT systems with AI. If approved in the Senate, this effectively overrides new and pending state laws aimed at regulating AI and protecting creators. A coalition of 77 organizations has protested the measure, stating, “By wiping out all existing and future state AI laws without putting new federal protections in place, AI companies would get exactly what they want: no rules, no accountability, and total control,” the coalition wrote. “It ties lawmakers’ hands for a decade….”

● May 23rd, 2025: Perlmutter files a lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing that her termination as the Registrar of the USCO was unconstitutional and in violation of the separation of powers. “Congress vested the Librarian of Congress — not the President — with the power to appoint, and therefore to remove, the Register of Copyrights,” the lawsuit said. “Accordingly, the President’s attempt to remove Ms. Perlmutter was unlawful and ineffective.”

What it Really Means: Connecting the Dots

If the timing of these events feels suspicious, that’s because it is. When you connect the dots, it becomes clear: this isn’t just about leadership changes at a government office — it’s about power, money, influence, and a fast-moving attempt to reshape the future of copyright in favor of Big Tech and at the expense of creators.

Let’s break it down:

● The Copyright Office called it out. In the AI report, released just hours before Perlmutter’s dismissal, the U.S. Copyright Office urged courts to reject “fair use” as a blanket defense for AI companies training on copyrighted work without permission. While the Copyright Office does not create laws, its recommendations are weighted heavily and will play an important role in the 40+ pending AI-related cases currently before the courts. Their recommendation? AI companies should license the content they train on — a move that could cost them billions.

● AI’s business model is in danger. Many of the most well-funded AI companies have built their tools on unlicensed creative content — music, books, images, videos, and more. If courts follow the Copyright Office’s guidance, those companies could be forced to pay for the content they’ve long used for free — a change that would upend how these tools are developed and monetized.

● The stakes are massive — and growing. In 2024 alone, over half of all venture capital went into AI startups, many with billion-dollar valuations. But those valuations rest on shaky ground: unlicensed data. The Copyright Office’s stance threatens to make that data legally and financially off-limits, putting enormous pressure on AI’s biggest backers, who are consequently exerting enormous political pressure

● Enter: a sudden leadership overhaul. The firing of Perlmutter and Hayden happened with stunning speed and questionable legality. Hayden’s role was a Senate-confirmed, ten-year appointment — experts are already calling her removal unconstitutional.

● Back to these guys: Perkins and Nieves — the two men who showed up at the Copyright Office with a letter from the Trump administration — aren’t copyright experts. Perkins is a DOJ official with no immediately discoverable public record on copyright law. Nieves, a former Missouri state senator, is a far-right loyalist. Their surprise arrival, orchestrated by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche (appointed acting Librarian of Congress), seems designed to fast-track control over the Copyright Office without Senate oversight.

Anti-creator messaging is spreading fast — and it’s not subtle. Think tanks like the Electronic Frontier Foundation are already seeding claims that ‘the USCO got fair use wrong’ — trial balloons designed to sway public opinion and prepare the courts for a rollback of protections. Meanwhile, Deezer reports that approximately 18% of all tracks now being uploaded to its platform are fully generated by artificial intelligence, showing how fast synthetic media is flooding the system and siphoning revenue away from real creators.

This isn’t a theoretical debate — it’s a coordinated play. AI companies are pouring millions into lobbying the White House to preserve their ability to exploit copyrighted content without consequence. Billionaires like Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey have even called for copyright to be abolished outright. While they stoke fears that the U.S. is “falling behind” China in AI, they leave out the part where China is actively strengthening copyright protections for its creators.

The TLDR: These firings weren’t just about ideology or administrative reshuffling. The general consensus is that they were a reaction to a single, damning conclusion in the AI report: that creators deserve to be paid.

And that’s the last thing the AI industry wants.

What’s at Stake: How This Affects You

This isn’t just Washington drama — it has real consequences for anyone who creates content for a living.

If AI companies can continue using your work without permission, and the government supports this practice, then:

● You lose leverage. Without strong leadership at the Copyright Office, courts and Congress could move forward with policies that weaken your ability to protect, monetize, and challenge the unauthorized use of your content for years.

● You lose income. The AI’s primary argument is that the use of your content to train their modules should be allowed, for free, because of “fair use” — a legal doctrine that allows excerpts of content to be used for specific purposes that include “research.” If the courts determine that AI training is “fair use,” then the AI industry will not be required to compensate creators for the use of the work, and AI-generated content will quickly begin to replace original content. That’s not just theoretical: reports estimate that AI has already cost the music industry $22 billion.

● You lose access to justice. The Copyright Office doesn’t just register your work — it plays a key role in creating new systems and tools like the Copyright Claims Board =, a small claims court which gives everyday creators a real path to protect their rights without the burden of expensive lawsuits. With the wrong leadership, those tools could disappear.

● You could lose global protections. Weakening U.S. copyright protections would destabilize international cooperation established by copyright-related treaties. This would disrupt the creator economy and potentially lead to lost income around the world. If the U.S. sends a message that copyright isn’t worth defending, it opens the door for every other country to follow suit.

This moment isn’t just about a report — it’s about a reckoning. It’s about whether creators will be recognized as essential to the future — or sacrificed to feed a booming AI economy.

We know that sounds dire. But the good news is, you’re not powerless. There are ways to protect yourself — and we’re here to help you do it.

What You Can Do: 5 Steps to Protect Yourself

This fight is far from over, and creators like you still have power. Here’s what you can do today:

1. Timely: Tell Your Senator Where You Stand

In an overnight session on May 22, the House passed Trump’s sweeping “big, beautiful” bill, and buried inside it is a dangerous AI provision. If the Senate passes it, states would be blocked from enforcing any laws regulating AI for the next 10 years. That means no accountability, even as AI invades sensitive areas like healthcare, hiring, and policing.

This bill is headed to the Senate next. Contact your Senator now to demand they protect the public — and protect creators — by rejecting any federal law that wipes out state-level protections.

👉 Find your Senator here

2. Register Your Work

Whether you’re a musician, animator, writer, or designer, ensure your work is officially registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. If AI companies or anyone else uses your content without permission, you can’t sue for statutory damages without registration.

⚠️ Bonus: If you register before or within 3 months of publication, you’re eligible for statutory damages ($150,000) and attorney’s fees if someone wilfully infringes your work, without needing to prove/calculate actual income lost.

3. Document Your Ownership

If you’re collaborating with others, get your agreements in writing. Having a clear contract about who owns what protects your rights — and keeps disputes (and lawsuits) off your plate later.

4. Stay Informed and Loud

This is a pivotal moment in copyright history. Creators and advocates are pushing back, and the courts haven’t made their decisions yet. Use your platform to amplify the message: AI can’t thrive on stolen work. Tag your reps. Share the facts. The more noise we make, the harder it is for bad actors to act in silence.

5. Support Organizations That Support You

Groups like the Copyright Alliance, Black Music Action Coalition, and Fight for the Future are leading the charge to defend creators’ rights. Follow them. Support their work. Join the collective push for fair AI policies and accountability.

The battle unfolding at the Copyright Office isn’t niche, bureaucratic, or optional for creators — it’s central to the future of ownership in the digital age. As AI continues to reshape the economy at breakneck speed, creators are being pushed to the margins while billionaires write the rules.

The choices made in the coming months — in courtrooms, in Congress, and behind closed doors at federal agencies — will decide whether creativity remains a protected livelihood or becomes raw material for the next trillion-dollar tech boom.

This isn’t just about policy — it’s about survival. About who gets paid, who gets erased, and who holds power in the next generation of the internet.

Copyright Under Siege was originally published in cosynd news on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Through BMI’s new Spark program, Cosynd is helping songwriters, composers, and publishers protect their livelihoods at every stage of their careers.

Cosynd is proud to partner with BMI, one of the leading performing rights organizations representing over 1.4 million songwriters, composers, and publishers. Through this collaboration, BMI becomes the first PRO to offer its community exclusive access to Cosynd’s discounted U.S. Copyright Office registrations and essential legal agreements — providing its creators with a powerful, affordable way to protect their work.

“In today’s fast-paced music industry, music creators are being asked to do more than ever, nor just making the music we love, but also putting it out into the world, finding and engaging with their fanbses, and creating their own unique brand,” said BMI Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships & Industry Research, Jess Robertson. “In addition, managing the many platforms and various registration processes required to protect their work and collect revenue adds yet another layer of complexity. That’s why we are so thrilled to have Cosynd join Spark as an inaugural partner, further supporting BMI’s commitment to prioritizing our songwriters, composers and producers and their copyrights.”

Cosynd’s partnership with BMI arrives at a critical moment as the music industry grapples with the implications of artificial intelligence and the rising tide of streaming fraud. Recent lawsuits against AI companies for unauthorized use of copyrighted songs underscore the need for clear protections. Additionally, reports suggest that up to 10% of global streams are fraudulent, significantly impacting streaming revenues and revealing vulnerabilities in the current system.

“We are proud to celebrate this milestone with BMI as the first PRO to take a bold step in prioritizing copyright protection for its members. By making it easier and more affordable for creators to secure their rights, BMI is setting a new precedent for how the industry can support music creators at every stage of their careers,” said Cosynd CEO, Jessica Sobhraj. “As AI and streaming fraud present new challenges, this partnership ensures that BMI’s members have the legal protections they need to safeguard their work, assert their ownership, and uphold the value of their music in an ever-evolving landscape.”

In this complex landscape, establishing clear copyright registrations is essential for asserting ownership, preventing misuse, and ensuring creators are fairly compensated for their work. BMI’s proactive efforts to offer secure and affordable copyright protection for its members solidify its position as a key advocate for music creators in an increasingly complex landscape.

Read the full announcement on Digital Music News and more about BMI’s Spark program on Billboard, MBW, MusicRow, and MusicAlly.

Cosynd and BMI Unite to Provide Unprecedented Copyright Protection for Music Creators was originally published in cosynd news on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Pex and RME Join Forces with Cosynd: Empowering Music Creators with Accurate Copyright Tracking and Income Protection

Pex, the trusted global leader in content identification technology and UGC data, and its rights initiative RME, the digital-first, modern rights organization, are excited to announce a collaboration with Cosynd. This partnership is designed to empower RME’s vibrant community of creators and rights-holders to safeguard their IP with a simplified copyright registration process using Cosynd’s advanced Copyright Registration API.

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital content, creators often face challenges in obtaining proper attribution and compensation for their work. This partnership signifies a commitment to making rights management easy, transparent, safe, and above all, centered around creators and their livelihood. RME users will now have the invaluable opportunity to efficiently register their original works with the U.S. Copyright Office using Cosynd’s Copyright Registration API. The combined technology will provide a comprehensive view of where their music is being used and the actionability to ensure their intellectual property remains safeguarded from unauthorized use and manipulation.

With this collaboration, RME’s worldwide client base will benefit in several significant ways: Their audio recordings and underlying musical compositions will be meticulously fingerprinted and stored, enabling precise tracking against a reference database to identify any matches and locate their music in user-generated content. This empowerment will extend to the realm of legal action, where creators can take action against identified past infringed works and proactively protect new creations against unauthorized usage. RME will collect royalties on behalf of creators without claiming any percentage of their copyrights. Additionally, using data gathered through its beta program, RME will negotiate licensing agreements with platforms and other music users. This offering ensures more money goes directly to the creators, safeguarding their financial well-being.

Chris McMurty, VP of Product at Pex and Head of RME expressed: “At Pex and RME, our vision is attribution for all which means enabling a world where creators are respected, recognized, and fairly compensated for their invaluable contributions. Partnering with Cosynd represents a significant leap toward realizing this vision. This collaboration showcases our dedication to empowering the creator economy and fostering innovation without fearing copyright infringement.”

With digital content consumption on the rise, the risk of unauthorized usage and copyright infringement has grown significantly both in the United States and globally. This partnership marks a decisive stride toward empowering creators to protect their work, gain proper attribution, and ensure fair compensation for their artistry. Copyright registration, now a mandatory requirement before filing or participating in a lawsuit, is streamlined by Cosynd’s Copyright Registration API, simplifying the process for creators in the most cost-effective way, while taking the steps to protect creative works in over 175 territories within minutes.

Cosynd CEO, Jessica Sobhraj added: “We are thrilled to join forces with Pex and RME in this innovative endeavor. We firmly believe that empowering creators with the right tools is fundamental to the future of the creative industry. This partnership signifies a pivotal moment in our mission to revolutionize attribution-driven copyright protection and finally provides the means for creators to utilize their data from Pex to seek just compensation against bad actors.”

Together, Pex, RME, and Cosynd are committed to nurturing a creative economy that values creators, encourages innovation, and establishes a fair and thriving digital rights ecosystem.

Pex and RME Join Forces with Cosynd: Empowering Music Creators with Accurate Copyright Tracking and… was originally published in cosynd news on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

CD Baby and Cosynd Expand Partnership to Provide Independent Musicians with Powerful Copyright Protection

CD Baby, a Downtown Music Holdings company, and Cosynd, the leading platform for copyright protection for all creators, are expanding their successful partnership of five years with the integration of Cosynd’s Copyright Registration API into the CD Baby platform soon.

The API is the first of its kind to be developed for the music industry and CD Baby is among the first distributors to integrate it into its platform. This partnership will empower CD Baby’s community of over one million independent artists to efficiently register copyrights and establish legal ownership over their work.

“As a platform that has always been about empowering independent musicians, we are thrilled to take this partnership with Cosynd to the next level,” said Christine Barnum, CRO at CD Baby. “By integrating Cosynd’s Copyright Registration API, we’re making it easier than ever for our users to protect their music and their livelihoods, at a time when they need it most.”

The copyright registration process is often time-consuming, expensive, and confusing. Cosynd’s Copyright Registration API, available at the point of distribution, simplifies the process, allowing creators to port their existing release assets to Cosynd with just a few clicks for the purpose of registering their sound recordings and compositions with the U.S. Copyright Office. This cost-effective and stress-free solution lets creators focus on making music.

“This is a momentous step in our partnership, which has thrived consistently from the day CD Baby became our first official launch partner nearly five years ago,” said Jessica Sobhraj, CEO of Cosynd. “CD Baby has always been a leader in providing independent musicians with the tools they need to succeed in the music industry and our teams share a passion for creating affordable access to those pathways to success.”

“With so much on the line, protecting one’s content is one of the most important steps an artist should take when releasing their work to the public. CD Baby understands the risk that artists are now faced with in today’s current industry and has prioritized the safety of their livelihood by making it a key part of their service offering” added Liz Cimareli, COO of Cosynd.

Copyright registration has become increasingly important for independent musicians in recent years, driven in part by legal developments and technological advancements. The Supreme Court now requires copyright registration before filing a lawsuit for copyright infringement and additionally, statutory damages for copyright infringement can be much higher if the work was registered prior to infringement. As AI continues to advance, musicians also face the growing risk of their music being imitated or manipulated without their consent.

“At CD Baby, we’re committed to providing independent musicians with the tools and resources they need to succeed,” said Alex Trevino, Strategic Partner Manager at CD Baby. “This collaboration brings a new level of convenience and value to our community, simplifying the copyright registration process and helping musicians protect their creative works.”

With the rise of music streaming services and social media platforms, it’s easier than ever for anyone in the world to access and share music online, increasing the risk of copyright infringement. In 2020, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) reported that music piracy resulted in a loss of over $2.7 billion in revenues for the US music industry. While there is no international registration that grants worldwide protection, registration with the U.S. Copyright Office is the most comprehensive option available, offering protections in more than 170 countries under various international treaties.

“As the music industry continues to evolve, we’re thrilled to be at the forefront of developing innovative tools for creators,” said Rhea Ghosh, CMO at Cosynd. “This collaboration is a testament to our shared commitment of empowering musicians around the globe to build a livelihood from their art by protecting their rights.”

CD Baby users will soon be able to access this service as part of their distribution workflow at checkout, providing enhanced copyright protection.

We are thrilled to announce the promotion of Rhea Ghosh to the newly created position of Chief Marketing Officer. Rhea will spearhead all communications initiatives and consumer brand strategy for Cosynd, which empowers thousands of creators and copyright owners from over 120 countries. She will also be responsible for heading up Cosynd’s advocacy initiatives with our partner network, which include CD Baby, A2IM (American Association of Independent Music), the MLC, Repost by SoundCloud, Symphonic Distribution, BookBaby, DiscMakers, AdRev, Soundrop, and BeatStars among others.

“Rhea is a true gem and we are so fortunate to have her take on such a significant role at Cosynd. She is a natural connector, innovator, and a real advocate for creators with an impressive track record of meaningful contributions to our industry. Her extraordinary ability to build bridges across communities and generate successful outcomes adds tremendous value for our partners and ultimately the millions of creators that they serve.” — Jessica Sobhraj, CEO of Cosynd

Rhea brings a decade of experience in developing the narratives of entrepreneurs, brands, and creators. Prior to Cosynd, Rhea served as the Global Head of Marketing at Downtown Music Publishing, where she oversaw the firm’s marketing and communications strategy across all of its international offices and created new opportunities for the company’s clients and repertoire, including the likes of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Miles Davis, Ryan Tedder, John Prine, JioSaavn’s AO catalog, and Grammy-winning “Shallow” co-writer Anthony Rossomando, among others.

“Cosynd is truly changing the game for copyright owners, and I am honored to bring my experience to this journey of evolving the future of the creator economy. I want to thank Jessica [Sobhraj] and Liz [Cimarelli] for this enormous opportunity, and look forward to working with more creator-focused organizations to produce impactful campaigns that further democratize the necessary tools for music-makers, among other creatives around the world, to secure their livelihoods.” — Rhea Ghosh

Additionally, she led marketing and partnerships for NY is Music, a coalition dedicated to advancing the importance of music in economic development, culture, and education in New York. Through her work with NY is Music, Rhea helped conceive and launch New York Music Month, an annual festival celebrating music’s impact on New York, as well as Sound Thinking NYC, a program designed to introduce young women to careers in music production, audio technology, and sound recording — both in partnership with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment.

More recently, Rhea was welcomed into the Recording Academy’s 2022 Professional Member class.

Read further on Music Business Worldwide.

Cosynd Names Rhea Ghosh as CMO was originally published in cosynd news on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

A2IM (The American Association of Independent Music, Inc,) has partnered with Cosynd to further its mission of fighting for the equitable treatment of all independent creators and copyright holders by providing them with an efficient and affordable way to legally protect their work and enforce their rights.

Under this partnership, Cosynd will provide A2IM’s community of over 700 record labels and publishers the ability to automate copyright agreements and easily register those copyrights with the U.S. Copyright Office. These protections will benefit all of A2IM’s members’ content assets, such as sound recordings, compositions, lyrics, videos, imagery, literature, and more, at significantly discounted rates.

Cosynd is offering annual memberships to A2IM members so that they can build tailored copyright agreements that establish ownership and outline important details that are required to sell, license, or otherwise monetize their assets. Using Cosynd, A2IM members can customize, negotiate, and execute an unlimited amount of agreements on behalf of their artists for a discounted rate, generating significant savings for members on legal spend and attorney fees. Attorneys are invited to redline these agreements on Cosynd, allowing them to negotiate deals in a fraction of the time it typically takes. These agreements include Work for Hire, Producer, and Collaboration agreements, as well as Split sheets.

“A2IM is dedicated to serving our members,” said President and CEO, Dr. Richard James Burgess MBE. “We are thrilled to partner with our good friends at Cosynd and enable our members to effortlessly register their copyrights and to create vital legal agreements, so that they can focus on their core business of developing great artists. By working together, Cosynd and A2IM are delivering equitable, affordable access to copyright protection at a time when our community needs it most.”

Additionally, A2IM members will be able to file copyright registrations in minutes for 80% less than the cost of similar services. In order for a copyright owner to stand up against the misuse of intellectual property, registration is now a mandatory prerequisite to filing a lawsuit. Mailing a copy of work, minting an asset as an NFT on the blockchain, affidavit services, or other registration databases are not substitutes for registering with the U.S. Copyright Office.

“We are so proud to partner with A2IM and to be trusted at such a high level by the leading trade association for independent labels,” said Jessica Sobhraj, Co-founder and CEO of Cosynd. “Like us, A2IM understands that in order to protect our industry, we must first protect our creators. For far too long, the ability to seek adequate compensation for the abuse and misuse of music has notoriously only been available to a small percentage of copyright owners, because of various financial, legal, and educational barriers. Our partnership doesn’t just alleviate those burdens, it finally levels the playing field for the independent community.”

Since 2005, when A2IM was formed, the independent sector has grown from a market share of less than 25% to 37.32%. This significant increase illustrates the leadership role the independent sector has held over the last decade. However, with infringements running rampant, alongside inflation and changing regulations for IP owners, the need to safe-guard the livelihood of this growing community is essential to the vitality of the recorded music economy.

Cosynd x A2IM was originally published in cosynd news on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.