Human Authorship Is the Bedrock of Copyright
The music industry is evolving faster than the law — but one thing remains certain. Whether you're using AI to sketch chord progressions, generate stems, or master your final mix, how you register your work determines whether you own it.
The U.S. Copyright Office's landmark 2025 report on Artificial Intelligence and Copyrightability has redrawn the line between protected creativity and public domain. Independent musicians, producers, and label owners who don't adapt risk leaving their most valuable IP completely unprotected.
The Authorship Dossier
One of the most critical — and most misunderstood — steps in registering AI-assisted music is knowing exactly what to tell the Copyright Office about your tools. The wrong language on your application can cost you your claim entirely.
This module gives you a proven disclosure framework: what to name, what to describe, and how to frame your AI use so that your application reflects genuine human creative authorship at every stage of production.
- Identify which AI tools require disclosure vs. which are invisible to the Office
- Use precise language that satisfies examiners without over-disclosing
- Avoid the most common mistakes that trigger rejections
Claiming Your "Selection & Arrangement" Rights
Even when AI generates raw elements — a melodic fragment, a drum pattern, a chord voicing — you may still hold a protectable copyright in the creative selection, sequencing, and arrangement of those elements.
This is one of the most powerful and least-used strategies in AI music registration. The 2025 Copyright Office guidance explicitly supports protection for compilations and modified AI outputs when meaningful human curation is present.
- Understand how "thin copyright" still protects your unique creative choices
- Document your curation decisions at every production stage
- Structure your registrations to capture the full scope of your arrangement rights
- Apply this framework to stem packs, sample libraries, and mixed-output releases
The Expert Behind the Protocol
Meet Cheryl M. Potts Founder & CEO of Cleerkut and Crystal Clear Music | Music Rights Administrator | Legislative Contributor
With over 25 years of experience at the specialized intersection of music rights management and enterprise technology, Cheryl Potts is a recognized authority in protecting creative intellectual property. As the founder of Crystal Clear Music and Cleerkut, she has served as a Copyright and Royalty Administrator for independent labels and publishers, managing catalogs that have earned multiple RIAA-certified gold and platinum albums. She currently serve as Secretary and Board Officer for the Atlanta Chapter of the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP).
A Voice in the Foundation of Modern Law
Cheryl's expertise extends beyond administration into the halls of federal policy. She was a formal participant in the U.S. Copyright Office’s landmark 2015 Music Licensing Study (Copyright and the Music Marketplace). Her expert testimony regarding the administrative challenges facing independent creators are cited in the final report submitted to the U.S. Congress—the very document that served as the primary foundation for the Music Modernization Act (MMA) of 2018.
Bridging the Gap to the AI Era
Today, Cheryl is leveraging that same legislative rigor to solve the industry’s next great challenge: Artificial Intelligence. Having witnessed the evolution of the music marketplace from the pre-digital era to the MMA and now to Generative AI, she developed the Provenance Protocol™. This framework isn't just a tutorial; it is a professional-grade administrative system designed to ensure that modern creators can embrace AI without sacrificing their federal copyright protections or their long-term royalty security.
Rights Administrator
Managed catalogs for RIAA-certified gold and platinum albums.
Legislative Contributor
Shaped the Music Modernization Act with expert testimony.
AI Era Innovator
Developed the Provenance Protocolâ„¢ for AI music copyright.
What the 2025 Copyright Office Report Actually Says
The U.S. Copyright Office's 2025 AI and Copyrightability report established clear — and consequential — standards for how AI-generated and AI-assisted works are evaluated. Here's the framework at a glance.
Understanding these four pillars is the foundation of every registration decision you'll make as an independent creator working with AI tools in your workflow.
How the Registration Process Works
From your first session file to a filed registration, the path to protecting AI-assisted music follows a clear sequence — if you know the steps.
Document your creative decisions
Identify human-authored elements
Complete AI disclosure on application
File registration with Copyright Office
Each step requires specific knowledge of the 2025 Copyright Office standards. The Masterclass walks you through every stage with real examples from music production workflows.
From AI Prompt to Legal Proof