New rules have been introduced by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). However, this does not mean a complete ban on artificial intelligence in music production. If neural networks are used merely as an auxiliary tool, the composition can still qualify for a spot on the chart. The main condition is that the work must be primarily created by humans. In particular, the authorship of the song, the main vocals, and key instrumental parts must belong to people. Additionally, ARIA should not have any suspicions of artificially inflating the number of listens or other attempts to manipulate positions in the rankings. One of the reasons for tightening the rules was the high-profile scandal surrounding the cover version of Madonna's hit "Like a Prayer," released by Australian DJ Josh Favaaz. The composition achieved great success: it became one of the most popular on Australian radio and climbed to high positions on the charts. It later emerged that generative artificial intelligence was used in creating the vocals and drum parts. Favaaz himself previously explained that he views AI merely as one of the tools of music production. However, the story surrounding his composition intensified the discussion about where the line is drawn between using new technologies and actually replacing musicians with them. ARIA emphasizes that music rankings should reflect the real preferences of listeners while simultaneously preserving the value of human creativity. Therefore, the use of AI as an assistant is permitted, while works that are almost entirely created by neural networks will fall outside of official rankings. The restrictions apply not only to the charts. Completely AI-generated works will also be unable to qualify for ARIA music awards. The decision comes amid the rapid growth of music created with the help of neural networks. Industry representatives are increasingly expressing concerns that artificial intelligence systems may be trained on the works of artists without their permission and compensation. Australian rules align with the principles of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI): to participate in official music charts, a work must be significantly created by humans.
