Vilnius to host major CISAC congress addressing AI challenges in creative copyright
Vilnius is set to host the CISAC European Regional Congress on 29–30 April, an event organised by LATGA, Lithuania’s collective management organisation and a member of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC). This congress is recognised as one of the largest gatherings of copyright experts, leaders of collective management organisations, lawyers, and creators from Europe and the United States. Attendance is expected to include over 140 participants, with representatives from global technology giants such as Netflix and Meta also taking part.
The congress will focus primarily on the challenges posed by digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) to the creative industries. This year’s key theme centres on AI licensing, with particular attention given to how creative works can be licensed when used for AI training, ensuring that authors receive fair compensation for such use. Given the rapid evolution of technology, discussions will address the intersection of creativity, technology, and law.
According to a recent economic study by CISAC and PMP Strategy, authors of music and audiovisual works face considerable income losses due to replacement by AI-generated content. The study forecasts a 24% drop in income for music creators and a 21% loss for audiovisual authors by 2028. Meanwhile, the market for AI-generated music and audiovisual content is projected to expand substantially, from around 3 billion euros currently to an estimated 64 billion euros in five years. In response, CISAC has committed to initiating measures to mitigate these risks and establish collaborative principles between the technology sector and creators.
The Lithuanian Minister of Culture, Šarūnas Birutis, will deliver the opening speech at the congress. Stanislavas Stavickis-Stano, chairman of the LATGA council, and LATGA director Laura Baškevičienė will also address the assembly. Gadi Oron, General Director of CISAC, is scheduled to present the organisation’s strategic priorities and major projects.
Legal aspects will be examined in presentations by notable experts such as Barry Scannell, an Irish lawyer specialising in AI regulation in Europe, who will discuss legal responsibilities related to AI’s impact on authors’ rights. Emmanuel Legrand, a journalist with an extensive background in music industry and cultural trends reporting, will moderate a discussion on the convergence of creativity, technology, and legal issues.
Netflix and Meta representatives will share their perspectives on ongoing negotiations concerning authors’ rights in Europe, discussing the responsibilities of digital platforms and exploring potential collaboration models with collective management organisations. Additional topics slated for discussion include copyright management on social media, technological innovations designed to enhance the efficiency of collective rights management, and new methodologies for assessing the value of music in the digital age.
LATGA, which has been part of CISAC since 1992, is organising the CISAC European Committee congress for the second time; the organisation last hosted a similar event in Vilnius in 2004. LATGA’s director, Laura Baškevičienė, shared her views on the event’s significance. Speaking to LRT, she said: “The fact that the CISAC congress takes place in Vilnius this year is an important recognition of LATGA’s work on the international stage and a great opportunity for Lithuania to be where decisions about the future of authors’ rights are currently being made. In our country, where authors create top-level music, literature, drama, visual arts, and audiovisual (film) works, it is crucial to ensure that their rights are protected and respected, especially at a time when technology develops faster than legal regulations. This congress is a place where ideas, interests, and responsibility meet.”
CISAC, headquartered in France, represents more than five million authors globally across various creative fields, bringing together 227 collective management organisations from 116 countries. The organisation’s mission is to safeguard creators’ rights and ensure they receive fair remuneration for the use of their works, while promoting operational efficiency and transparency within collective management organisations. The president of CISAC is Björn Ulvaeus, renowned for being a member of ABBA.
LATGA was founded in Vilnius on 29 May 1990 and is marking its 35th anniversary this year. The association manages the rights of authors in music, literature, audiovisual works, visual arts, and drama, collecting and distributing royalties for the use of these works. Beyond rights management, LATGA also facilitates legal use of creative works domestically and internationally, enforces authors’ rights, contributes to cultural policy development in Lithuania and Europe, funds arts and cultural projects, and provides copyright education to both authors and the public. Currently, LATGA represents more than 7,000 Lithuanian authors.
The hosting of the CISAC European Regional Congress in Vilnius highlights Lithuania’s role as a focal point for discussions on authors’ rights policies amid rapidly advancing digital and AI technologies. Over the two days, the congress aims to foster dialogue among stakeholders in the creative and technology sectors to explore fair and sustainable approaches to copyright management in the digital era.