Sing the IP Initiative Launches to Shield Musicians from Unauthorized AI Use of Their Work

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the music industry, creating both new opportunities and significant risks for creators. Kary Oberbrunner, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and intellectual property advocate, highlights a growing problem: many singers and musicians are finding that AI technology, while innovative, is also locking them out of their own music.

Oberbrunner and Instant IP have launched Sing the IP, an initiative designed to help singers, musicians, songwriters, and artists protect their intellectual property before it is copied, scraped, or used to train AI systems without permission or compensation. The program emphasizes the importance of establishing ownership and protection early to prevent losing control over the unique elements that define an artist’s work.

"Artists spend years developing their voice, their sound, and their craft," Oberbrunner explained. "We're entering a world where AI can take that work in seconds. If creators don't establish ownership and protection early, they risk losing control of the very thing that makes them unique."

Oberbrunner’s concerns are informed by personal experience. His own books were among hundreds of thousands of copyrighted works used to train AI systems without his consent. He has also documented instances where his TEDx talks were repurposed through AI-generated outputs and derivative online content.

"My books were used to increase the value of AI companies," Oberbrunner said. "The same thing is happening to musicians. Their songs, lyrics, performances, and voices are becoming training material. Others profit while the original creator receives little or nothing."

The launch of Sing the IP comes amid escalating worries about AI-generated songs, voice cloning, unauthorized training datasets, and artists losing control over how their creative works are exploited.

Rather than discouraging creators from sharing their work, Sing the IP advocates a two-step approach: protect first, promote second. The initiative employs blockchain-backed documentation, time-stamping, cryptographic fingerprinting, and chain-of-custody records to help creators establish verifiable evidence of ownership before releasing their work publicly.

While traditional intellectual property protections such as copyrights, trademarks, and patents remain vital, Sing the IP offers an immediate, accessible first layer of protection that can be established within minutes rather than the months typically required for formal registrations.

The program is already attracting musicians eager to document songs, lyrics, recordings, performances, compositions, arrangements, and entire creative catalogs. Oberbrunner cited Taylor Swift as an example of an artist who took intellectual property seriously early in her career.

"Taylor Swift didn't wait until she became one of the biggest artists in the world to take intellectual property seriously," he noted. "Every creator deserves the opportunity to do the same."

To encourage participation, Sing the IP is offering creators a complimentary intellectual property protection credit, allowing them to experience the process firsthand. Interested artists can claim their free IP credit at https://www.instantip.today/singer/.

"The answer isn't fear," Oberbrunner emphasized. "The answer is protection. The world needs your voice. The world needs your music. Keep creating. Just make sure your creativity is protected before it's used to train the next AI model without your permission."