Introducing HARP: The Heirs Artistry Rights & Protection Coalition

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the creative economy. Courts, legislatures, regulators, technology companies, and creators are all confronting questions about training data, copyright, compensation, transparency, digital replicas, voice cloning, likeness rights, and the future value of creative labor. The decisions being made today will influence how creators are compensated, credited, and protected for decades to come.

HARP was formed to ensure that creators have a knowledgeable, organized, and effective voice in those conversations.

Our coalition brings together artists, attorneys, academics, industry professionals, rights holders, and advocates who share a common belief: technological progress and creator protections should develop together.

Why HARP Matters

Every major technological advancement has forced creative industries to adapt. AI presents a new set of legal, economic, and ethical challenges that cut across nearly every creative discipline.

Musicians are confronting the unauthorized use of recordings and compositions in AI training systems. Authors are raising questions about the use of books and written works to develop large language models. Visual artists are grappling with systems capable of generating images that draw from vast collections of existing creative works.

Performers, public figures, and ordinary individuals increasingly face concerns involving voice cloning, synthetic media, and unauthorized digital replicas. At the same time, policymakers are attempting to develop legal frameworks for technologies that continue to evolve at extraordinary speed. Creators deserve a seat at that table.

Generative AI presents extraordinary opportunities, but it also raises serious questions:

• Should creative works be used to train AI systems without permission?
• How should artists be compensated when their work contributes to AI-generated outputs?
• What protections exist against unauthorized voice, image, style, and likeness replication?
• How can innovation flourish while respecting intellectual property rights and human authorship?
• What safeguards are necessary to ensure transparency and accountability?

These issues are already shaping litigation, regulatory proceedings, licensing negotiations, platform policies, and the day-to-day business decisions of creators and rights holders.

These Issues Are Already Before the Courts

Across the country, courts are increasingly being asked to determine whether creators are entitled to consent, compensation, attribution, or other protections when their works are incorporated into AI systems. Some of the most closely watched cases in the country involve exactly these questions.

Andersen v. Stability AI Ltd., brought by visual artists challenging the use of copyrighted works to train image-generation models, remains one of the leading copyright cases examining AI training practices and alleged infringement.

Thomson Reuters Enterprise Centre GmbH v. Ross Intelligence, Inc., produced one of the first major rulings rejecting a fair use defense for the use of copyrighted material in AI training, highlighting the growing tension between AI development and intellectual property rights.

Legislatures Are Moving As Well

Lawmakers are also beginning to address transparency and accountability concerns.

• In 2024, California enacted AB 2013, the Generative Artificial Intelligence Training Data Transparency Act, requiring developers of covered generative AI systems to disclose information about the datasets used to train their models, including whether copyrighted material was used and the sources of training data.
• The Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe (NO FAKES) Act (S. 1367 / H.R. 2794) would establish a federal right against the unauthorized use of an individual's voice or likeness in AI-generated digital replicas, creating new protections for performers, artists, public figures, and private citizens against unauthorized synthetic media.
• The AI Foundation Model Transparency Act (H.R. 8094) would direct the Federal Trade Commission to establish requirements for public disclosures regarding the training data and algorithms used in AI foundation models.
• The AI Labeling Act (S. 4915) would require disclosures for certain AI-generated content, reflecting growing interest in transparency and provenance requirements.
• The CREATE AI Act (H.R. 2385) would establish a National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource to expand access to computing resources and datasets while promoting responsible AI development.

HARP exists to ensure that creators have a voice in these conversations and that policymakers, businesses, educators, and the public understand what is at stake.

What We Are Working Toward

HARP supports policies and practices that:

• Respect intellectual property rights.
• Promote transparency in AI development and deployment.
• Protect voice, image, likeness, and identity rights.
• Encourage responsible licensing models.
• Preserve incentives for human creativity.
• Foster innovation without diminishing the value of creative labor.

The goal is not to slow innovation but to ensure that the legal and business structures surrounding innovation recognize the contributions of the people whose work provides the foundation for creative industries.

What You Can Expect

In the months ahead, HARP will provide:

• Analysis of legislation, regulations, and court decisions.
• Educational resources for creators and rights holders.
• Commentary on emerging AI policies and industry developments.
• Opportunities for collaboration among stakeholders across creative sectors.
• Perspectives from artists, lawyers, scholars, and industry leaders working at the intersection of creativity and technology.

We intend to approach these issues with a practical focus on solutions. The conversation surrounding AI often generates more heat than light. HARP's objective is to contribute informed analysis, promote constructive dialogue, and advocate for policies that recognize both technological advancement and the continuing importance of human creativity.

Join the Coalition

The future of creative rights is being shaped right now in courtrooms, legislatures, regulatory agencies, industry negotiations, and private sector boardrooms.

Creators should not simply react to those developments after the fact. They should help shape them. Whether you are an artist, songwriter, author, performer, attorney, educator, researcher, entrepreneur, or supporter of creator rights, we invite you to become part of the conversation.

Thank you for joining us at the beginning of this effort. We look forward to building HARP with you.