Mosese Raqio 
Singer and lawyer, Natalie Raikadroka. [Photo: FILE]
Singer and lawyer Natalie Raikadroka says artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping Fiji’s music industry, but warns that weak copyright protection could leave local artists exposed.
Raikadroka says while AI-generated music is impressive, creative and efficient, it also raises serious ownership and consent issues, especially when artists’ voices, styles and original works are used without permission.
She highlights that AI-generated music cannot earn royalties through Fiji’s Performing Rights Association (FIPRA), as only registered human artists qualify for payments, meaning viral AI tracks generating income fall outside Fiji’s current royalty system.
Raikadroka says purely AI-generated content generally cannot be protected under copyright.
“For example, a song, if there is a sufficient human contribution to the song, then the human components of the song could qualify to be protected under copyright.”
She stresses that placing the full burden on artists to protect their work would be harmful, and is calling for stronger shared responsibility between FIPRA, government offices and the judiciary to better safeguard Fiji’s creative industry.
Raikadroka says AI is trending and it’s not going away, and this is the new normal.
She is urging artists to become more aware of their rights as Fiji navigates the digital future.
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