Guardians of AI: Mick Kiely of IAIAI Technologies On How AI Leaders Are Keeping AI Safe, Ethical, Responsible, and True
An Interview With Yitzi Weiner
Training AI on copyrighted works should never be regarded as “fair use”; it is blatant copyright theft that exploits artists and systematically devalues their work. By using copyrighted material to train AI without permission, the very foundation of intellectual property is being undermined, allowing corporations and developers to profit off the creativity and labor of others.
As AI technology rapidly advances, ensuring its responsible development and deployment has become more critical than ever. How are today’s AI leaders addressing safety, fairness, and accountability in AI systems? What practices are they implementing to maintain transparency and align AI with human values? To address these questions, we had the pleasure of interviewing Mick Kiely, CEO of IAIAI Technologies.
Mick Kiely, an Irishman and visionary pioneer in generative music, has dedicated his journey to ethical innovation. In 2013, Mick developed the world’s first generative music platform, warmly embraced and adopted by Hollywood creatives. His passion drives him to push boundaries while ensuring AI’s societal contributions are positive and far-reaching. At the heart of his work lies a commitment to the betterment of humanity through technology and a philosophy that musicians should always come first, being justly rewarded for their work when harnessed by AI. Beyond his pioneering work, Mick is a revered composer, author, educator, and speaker. In 2020, he advised the Recording Academy of America, ensuring AI’s impact on music remained ethical and beneficial. Since departing HYPH in late 2021, Mick has focused on IAIAI Technologies, striving to redefine the boundaries of what is possible while ensuring that AI serves as a force for good. For Mick, it is about more than just technological advancement; it’s about the reformation of an industry to better serve and recognize its most vital contributors, the artists.
Thank you so much for your time! I know that you are a very busy person. Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?
I spent the early part of my career in the music industry, performing and composing for TV, film, and video games. It was an incredibly interesting time, and I witnessed firsthand the changes causing the rapid evolution of music and sound in media. Music wasn’t just my profession; it was my absolute passion. However, the industry shifted dramatically as the internet accelerated in the early 2010s.
By 2012, I found myself at a crossroads. The rapid digitization of music had not only transformed how people consumed it but had also devalued it, making piracy effortless and severely disrupting traditional revenue models. I realized then that the future of music would be shaped by technology and that AI could seriously threaten creativity. That realization drove me into the world of music tech, where I focused on bridging the gap between artistry and innovation.
Even then, I saw AI coming fast, and with it, there was the risk of infringement and exploitation of artists’ work. I became fixated on building technologies that could ensure that musicians and artists remained integral to the journey and were not exploited by it. My goal was to create systems that preserved artistic relevance and guaranteed fair compensation for artists whose work was to form the very foundation of emerging AI technologies.
Since then, my career has revolved around exploring new ways to empower artists, protect intellectual property, and push the boundaries of how music interacts with technology. Whether through AI-driven tools, innovative distribution models, or new creative systems, I remain committed to shaping a future where music and artistry remain equitable, sustainable, and deeply valued — where the passion for music continues to burn brightly in human hearts.
None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful for, who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
I am incredibly grateful to a particular person who helped me get to where I am: my wife, Moira. Moira always supported and encouraged me, even if and when she didn’t fully understand what I was trying to do at times. But Moira really built the infrastructure around me at a time when, without it, I could not have succeeded, and to this day, she continues to do so.
For example, not just her role as a director and key member of management in our company, but in one particular instance, Moira remained in Ireland to see our youngest child finish school while I moved to the U.S. to chase a dream. It was a whole year before Moira came and joined me in L.A., where we would spend the next eight years.
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Autism has been a hidden ally of mine, one I didn’t even realize I had until well into my adult career. I have many “tizims,” as I call them, and now I understand them, though I never used to.
One of autism’s superpowers, as I see it, is the ability to see solutions to problems that are not so obvious to most people. Even relatively simple solutions can go unnoticed as most people don’t tend to naturally think outside the box in the way many autistic people do.
Another characteristic of mine is my somewhat flamboyant or slightly eccentric nature. I guess you could say I stand out in a crowd for various reasons. One obvious one is how I dress; I definitely have an interesting sense of style. I believe this works in my favor, as people tend to be quite curious about me when they see me, which helps spark conversations and increases the willingness of others to take meetings with me.
An amusing example is that I often wear open-toe sandals and always have my toenails painted silver. This never fails to provoke interesting facial expressions when I meet with top executives in boardrooms, where most if not all, are dressed in traditional corporate attire while we discuss serious business.
I’d say one other characteristic that has helped with my success is “likeability.” People seem to warm to me quickly and tend to feel at ease, non-threatened, maybe even a little charmed, which often results in calm, easy engagement. I think this has opened a lot of doors, making conversations flow quite naturally and helping to build strong connections.
Thank you for all that. Let’s now turn to the main focus of our discussion about how AI leaders are keeping AI safe and responsible. To begin, can you list three things that most excite you about the current state of the AI industry?
What excites me most about AI is firstly, the huge leap forward for creative potential. The idea that AI doesn’t replace human creativity but expands it is exciting. It can enhance imagination, help artists and thinkers break through creative blocks, and allow us to dream bigger than ever before. We’re entering a time where human potential can be explored in ways we’re only beginning to understand, and that’s something truly inspiring.
Secondly but equally as exciting is the opportunity to revisit creative ideas I had a decade ago, ideas that simply weren’t achievable at the time but now, thanks to technological advancements, are within reach. Concepts that once felt too ambitious due to technical limitations, cost, or lack of resources can now be brought to life with the help of AI-driven tools. It’s like unlocking a vault of creative potential that had to be put on hold, and now, with fresh perspectives and cutting-edge technology, those ideas can finally become reality.
Also exciting is that we are witnessing a moment in human evolution that only comes around every few hundred years — a fundamental shift in how we think, create, and interact with technology. AI is not just another tool; it represents a transformation as profound as the printing press or the Industrial Revolution. How we generate ideas, solve problems, and express creativity is evolving in real-time.
Conversely, can you tell us three things that most concern you about the industry? What must be done to alleviate those concerns?
While AI holds incredible potential, there is also a very real danger that its misuse could lead to the erosion of human culture. If creativity becomes overly automated, there’s a risk of diluting the depth, authenticity, and uniqueness that define human artistic expression. If AI-generated content floods music, art, literature, and film in an uncontrolled way, we could see a world where originality is replaced by replication and cultural diversity is reduced to homogenized, algorithm-driven outputs. Worse still, if AI is used to prioritize efficiency over meaning, we may find ourselves in a future where the voices become less important. The challenge ahead is not just about advancing AI but ensuring that it serves only to enhance, so we must be very careful.
The race for AI dominance is quickly becoming one of our time’s most significant geopolitical and economic battles. The current AI war between the U.S. and China is a prime example of how technological power is now as critical as military or economic strength. Both sides are pouring massive resources into AI development, not just for innovation but for strategic advantage, whether in defense, finance, or intellectual property. This rivalry has already led to tensions, from trade restrictions and sanctions. We might also see patent strategies designed to trap each other.
But beyond the competition itself lies an even greater danger: the misuse of AI when controlled by those consumed by power and greed. AI has the potential to shape economies, influence societies, and even control narratives, and when employed irresponsibly, it could become a tool for manipulation, surveillance, and suppression rather than progress. As countries and corporations race to dominate AI, there is a real risk that ethical considerations will take a back seat to profit and control. Instead of empowering humanity, AI could be weaponized to consolidate power, erode freedoms, and reshape the world in ways that serve only the few at the expense of the many.
The real question is whether this AI arms race will lead to greater innovation and human advancement or spiral into a battle for control that prioritizes power over progress. If history has shown us anything, it’s that technology itself is never inherently good or bad; it’s how we choose to use it that defines the future.
The potential for the extinction of the human race through AI is a very real and alarming threat. As AI technology evolves rapidly, we risk creating systems that could surpass human control, leading to catastrophic consequences. The stakes are far too high to allow unchecked progress; we must regulate AI with the strictest measures, ensuring humanity’s safety remains the priority. Without fully understanding the risks, AI should not be implemented into government defense systems, especially nuclear defense systems, where even the slightest error could have devastating global consequences. Unfortunately, current regulatory efforts are woefully inadequate, and the failure to prioritize safety and caution jeopardizes our future. Time is running out, and immediate, decisive action is needed to ensure that AI does not become a weapon that ultimately threatens our survival.
As a CEO leading an AI-driven organization, how do you embed ethical principles into your company’s overall vision and long-term strategy? What specific executive-level decisions have you made to ensure your company stays ahead in developing safe, transparent, and responsible AI technologies?
As the CEO and Founder, embedding ethical principles into our company’s overall vision and long-term strategy is not just a priority — it is a core value that guides our decisions and operations. Here’s our approach.
- Embedding Ethical Principles into the Company’s Vision and Strategy
- Artist Empowerment: Our mission centers around empowering independent artists, ensuring that they are fairly compensated and recognized for their contributions to AI-driven content. We want to foster an ecosystem where creators remain in control of their work, even when AI is involved. Our vision explicitly aligns the use of AI technology with the rights and needs of artists, ensuring that AI tools act as amplifiers of creativity rather than as a replacement for it.
- Fairness and Transparency: We prioritize transparency in how our AI systems operate. By embedding creative DNA profiles into every piece of content, we ensure that all AI-generated work can be traced back to its original human creator. This is crucial in maintaining accountability and fairness within our technology, especially when addressing concerns related to copyright infringement or attribution.
- Long-Term Commitment to Ethical AI: As we grow, we continuously review and refine our long-term strategy to stay aligned with ethical practices. We are committed to upholding principles of privacy, fairness, and security in AI development while ensuring that artists’ rights are protected. This is central to our strategy and future innovation.
- Executive-Level Decisions to Ensure Safe, Transparent, and Responsible AI
- Intellectual Property Protection: One of the first executive-level decisions I made was to embed digital DNA signatures in every AI-generated track. This decision ensures that artists’ intellectual property is protected by a secure, traceable system. It not only allows us to prevent unauthorized use but also to track AI-generated content back to its original source, ensuring fair attribution. This move is fundamental to our stance on copyright and helps us address industry-wide concerns around AI’s potential for unfair appropriation of creative works.
- Advocating for Human Authorship: Another key decision was to advocate for human involvement in AI-generated content. I believe that human authorship is crucial for preserving the integrity and authenticity of creative works. This perspective is embedded in our platform’s design, where AI tools enhance rather than replace human creativity. We stand firm in our belief that AI can be an extension of the artist’s mind but must never diminish the value of human contribution.
- Collaborative Partnerships and Regulatory Engagement: To ensure our AI technology develops responsibly, we actively engage with legal and regulatory bodies to stay ahead of changes in AI regulation. We also collaborate with industry experts and other AI ethics organizations to ensure that our technology adheres to the highest standards of ethics and responsibility. This proactive approach allows us to stay ahead of potential risks and ensures that our AI systems evolve in line with the public interest.
- Building a Culture of Ethical Innovation: I’ve worked to instill a company-wide culture of ethics in AI development. From product design to deployment, we have set up internal checks and ethical review processes to evaluate every AI innovation for its potential impacts on fairness, transparency, and accountability. We ensure that all levels of the organization — from engineering teams to product development — are aligned with our ethical vision.
- Staying Ahead in Safe and Transparent AI Development
- Continuous Monitoring and Auditing: We consistently monitor the impact of our AI systems and audit them to ensure they are functioning as intended, without unintended biases or harmful outcomes. This ongoing evaluation ensures that safety is a top priority throughout the lifecycle of our technology.
- Building Trust through Transparency: Transparency is a key component of our business model. We provide clear communication on how our AI systems work, how data is used, and how artists’ rights are protected. This builds trust with both artists and consumers, ensuring that we uphold our ethical responsibilities as we grow.
- Commitment to AI Safety: We prioritize safety protocols to mitigate risks in AI technology. As AI continues to evolve, we remain committed to developing systems that are both innovative and responsible, ensuring that ethical considerations are embedded in the core of our technology and operations.
Have you ever faced a challenging ethical dilemma related to AI development or deployment? How did you navigate the situation while balancing business goals and ethical responsibility?
In the early stages of developing our music-generating AI model, I faced a significant ethical dilemma regarding the potential use of copyrighted music tracks for research testing. My primary concern was whether using these tracks in the training process could inadvertently violate copyright laws without proper permissions.
I decided to leverage my music and production skills to navigate this situation while balancing business goals and ethical responsibility. I created my own covers of songs that were either in the public domain or out of copyright. This allowed me to proceed with the research while avoiding potential legal issues.
Once I established that my method of development didn’t require training on copyrighted works, I was able to confidently test my models on these cover versions. Importantly, these cover songs were only used as comparison materials to help evaluate the music theory accuracy of the models and were not used in any training data. This approach ensured that we strictly adhered to ethical standards, avoiding using any unauthorized content while still pushing forward with our AI innovation. By taking these steps, I stayed true to our ethical commitments, ensuring we protected both artists’ rights and our company’s goals.
Many people are worried about the potential for AI to harm humans. What must be done to ensure that AI stays safe?
To ensure AI remains safe and beneficial to humans, we must adopt a proactive and responsible approach throughout its development and deployment, even if it means rethinking or starting over with current models. First, AI systems must prioritize transparency and accountability, ensuring clarity in how they operate, especially regarding creative works like music generation. This transparency builds trust and prevents harm from unforeseen consequences.
Additionally, ethical principles should be embedded in AI development, with a focus on artist empowerment and intellectual property protection. This will ensure that AI serves the public good and respects human authorship while ensuring fair compensation. Bias prevention and fairness are also critical, as AI can perpetuate unfair outcomes. AI models should be designed to identify and mitigate biases, especially in creative processes, ensuring equitable benefits for all users.
Collaboration and regulatory alignment are essential for developing safe AI. Engaging with industry experts and adhering to global standards like the EU AI Act helps keep technologies aligned with ethical and legal requirements. Ongoing monitoring and adaptation are necessary for AI safety, as it’s an evolving process requiring constant vigilance and refinement.
Lastly, AI should be human-centric, augmenting creativity and decision-making rather than replacing it and aligning with human values to ensure it serves broader societal interests, not just business or technological goals. It’s crucial to prevent the erosion of human culture and the devaluation of human work in pursuit of AI advancement.
Despite huge advances, AIs still confidently hallucinate, giving incorrect answers. In addition, AIs will produce inaccurate results if they are trained on untrue or biased information. What can be done to ensure that AI produces accurate and transparent results?
Focusing on high-quality, unbiased training data, continuous monitoring, and ethical development practices is crucial to ensuring AI produces accurate and transparent results. Implementing cross-verification systems, fact-checking mechanisms, and human-in-the-loop oversight can prevent errors and hallucinations. AI models should be transparent, clearly explain how results are generated, and be designed to self-check against reliable sources. Additionally, ongoing feedback loops and regular updates help refine accuracy while mitigating bias ensures fairness.
Here is the primary question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are your “Five Things Needed to Keep AI Safe, Ethical, Responsible, and True”? Please share a story or an example for each.
1. Training AI on copyrighted works should never be regarded as “fair use”; it is blatant copyright theft that exploits artists and systematically devalues their work. By using copyrighted material to train AI without permission, the very foundation of intellectual property is being undermined, allowing corporations and developers to profit off the creativity and labor of others. This exploitation strips artists of their rights, leaving their works to be appropriated for commercial gain. Not only does this rob artists of their due recognition and income, it also erodes the value of human artistry and culture. Art is not simply data to be mined; it is human experience and expression. By allowing AI to be trained on copyrighted works without regard for the original artists, we decimate the creativity that has shaped our world throughout history. This is theft, plain and simple, and it must not be allowed to continue.
2. Generative AI must be developed from within the creative industries to ensure that the needs of human artistry are properly considered and safeguarded throughout the process. Only by involving artists, creators, and cultural experts from the beginning can we guarantee that AI’s development and deployment are aligned with ethical standards and respect for intellectual property. Had OpenAI, for example, included the creative industries as close allies during the early development stages of ChatGPT, DALL·E, and other generative models, we would not be facing the massive conflicts surrounding copyright infringement, exploitation of artists, and the erosion of human creativity. Collaboration with the creative sectors would have helped craft AI systems that respect creators’ rights and contribute to a safe and responsible future for the technology. Without this crucial involvement, we now find ourselves in a situation where AI risks undermining the foundation of art, culture, and creativity, placing humanity at the mercy of unchecked innovation.
3. Change the narrative. It’s deeply ironic that companies like OpenAI claim copyright must be exploited to better humanity, all while devaluing the intellectual property (IP) that fuels the innovations they claim are necessary. Take, for example, the situation where a music streaming platform uses AI to generate songs based on copyrighted works, claiming it’s for the advancement of the creative industry. The result? Original artists and their works are used without permission, undermining their value to create new AI-generated content that, in turn, gets passed off as novel IP. The cycle doesn’t stop there — this AI-generated content is then repurposed and used to train even more AI systems, further eroding the worth of the original works. What’s happening is a self-destructive loop, where AI is feeding off itself, perpetually devaluing IP in an attempt to create it.
4. It is crucial to keep AI out of the education system as a tool for replacing study and serving as a shortcut for students, as doing so will inevitably lead to the dumbing down and de-educating of future generations. Suppose students are allowed to rely on AI to complete assignments, write essays, or solve problems without engaging in the actual learning process. In that case, they will miss out on the critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity that are the foundation of genuine education. Over time, this dependence on AI will erode their ability to think independently and make informed decisions, creating a society of people who cannot function without technological crutches. Essentially, we risk creating an entire generation incapable of operating without AI, thus breeding an unhealthy reliance on a tool that ultimately stifles intellectual growth and human potential. If we allow this dependency to take hold, humanity’s capacity for innovation and critical thought could wither, leaving us tethered to a system that perpetuates and diminishes our autonomy.
5. Allowing AI to become an integral part of government and national security systems is a dangerous path that could jeopardize the autonomy and integrity of entire nations. Relying on AI for decision-making, surveillance, and military strategy introduces profound risks, as these systems can be manipulated, biased, or easily compromised. The increasing use of AI in national security could lead to the erosion of critical human oversight, making decisions based on algorithms that lack the nuance, morality, and empathy required to protect the public. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in governance, there is a real risk of creating a society that is excessively dependent on technology for its safety and stability, leaving citizens vulnerable to unforeseen consequences and technological failures. Such dependency could ultimately result in the loss of accountability, transparency, and human judgment, weakening the very foundation of democratic institutions and placing too much power in the hands of an imperfect, opaque system. The future of national security should not rest in the hands of machines but rather in human wisdom and careful, ethical oversight.
Looking ahead, what changes do you hope to see in industry-wide AI governance over the next decade?
Looking ahead, I hope to see significant changes in industry-wide AI governance that prioritize strong legal protections for copyright and ensure fair attribution and compensation for original creators. First, I envision the implementation of technologies within AI models that can trace the origins of the copyrighted works influencing any given derivative output. This would allow for clear attribution by law, ensuring that the creators of original works receive proper recognition and compensation for their contributions. Additionally, I would like to see the copyright assignment for derivative works be automatically linked back to the original copyright holders, ensuring that they retain control and receive royalties for any AI-generated content that references or builds upon their work. A specific music-generative tariff or tax should also be introduced, applying to any derivative work produced using copyrighted material as a reference. This tax would then be paid back to the original copyright holders as a royalty, ensuring a fair distribution of value whenever their work contributes to the creation of new AI-generated content. Furthermore, future publications and derivative works should be legally linked and attributed to the original authors, maintaining transparency and ensuring artists continue to benefit from their intellectual property moving forward.
What do you think will be the biggest challenge for AI over the next decade, and how should the industry prepare?
The biggest challenge for AI over the next decade will undoubtedly be the legal battles over data and copyright as the technology becomes more deeply integrated into commercial and creative sectors. Initially, we will continue to see major tech companies engaged in high-profile legal disputes, but the focus will likely shift towards smaller users of AI-generated content who smaller copyright holders could sue for unintentional infringements. These lawsuits will scale rapidly, creating a complex and fragmented legal system that businesses and individuals alike will struggle with. As AI continues to blur the lines between original and derivative works, there will be growing pressure for clearer laws and protections to ensure fair compensation and attribution for original rights holders. On a broader geopolitical level, I also foresee an escalating “AI war” between territories such as China, the EU, and the U.S., with each region leveraging patents and intellectual property laws as strategic tools. These territories may begin weaponizing patents, setting up complex infringement traps, and using patent prosecution to stifle competition or gain control over AI development. To prepare for these challenges, the industry must advocate for clearer and more consistent global regulations protecting intellectual property while fostering innovation. Additionally, companies must proactively develop robust compliance frameworks to avoid legal risks and ensure that AI technologies are used responsibly and ethically across borders. Collaboration between governments, industry leaders, and legal experts will be crucial to preventing an environment where AI development becomes a battleground for legal and political power plays.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most good to the most people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
If I could inspire a movement that would bring the best to the most people, it would come from a deeply organic, human-centered place that detaches entirely from AI in every way. This movement would focus on preserving the skills, traditions, and creative practices that have been passed down through generations, many of which are at serious risk of being lost forever. Just as we lost many invaluable skills during the Industrial Revolution, we now face the possibility of seeing essential aspects of human creativity — like the art of storytelling, painting, craftsmanship, and processes vanish for good. These are irreplaceable aspects of human creativity; if we don’t actively protect them, we will lose them forever.
How can our readers follow your work online?
To follow our work online, visit our website, www.iaiaitechnologies.com, or follow me on LinkedIn: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/mick-kiely-24141228.
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
Guardians of AI: Mick Kiely of IAIAI Technologies On How AI Leaders Are Keeping AI Safe, Ethical… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.