As AI-generated covers spread, Nepali musicians fight to reclaim their voices

Nepali musicians are raising alarms over the unauthorized use of their voices and compositions by artificial intelligence, demanding legal action and the removal of AI-generated content. Singer Sugam Pokharel issued a stern warning on Facebook, threatening legal action against those using his work without permission and highlighting instances of AI covers of his songs on YouTube and TikTok.

Pokharel clarified that his objection is not to AI as a creative tool, which he uses for sketching arrangements, but to the misappropriation of his voice, melodies, and lyrics. This distinction is at the forefront of discussions within Nepal's music industry. Bimal Adhikari, who manages the label Bhavna Music Solution, has filed a complaint with Nepal Police's Cyber Bureau after discovering that 40 to 50 of his label's songs had been altered and re-uploaded using AI, often traced to individuals operating multiple YouTube channels.

“

If you ignore this request, we will have no choice but to bring you within the jurisdiction of the law, wherever you may be, in Nepal or anywhere else in the world.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Gajendra Acharya stated that the Cyber Bureau categorizes complaints by offense type, making specific statistics on AI music-related cases unavailable. Adhikari expressed concern that automated copyright systems might incorrectly flag original artists, while anonymous offenders disappear and re-emerge. He has filed numerous copyright complaints, many of which were settled with apologies and content removal. Both Pokharel and Adhikari point to Nepal's Copyright Act as a potential area needing updates to address these emerging AI-related challenges.

“

Even if a song is made by AI, the melody is 100 percent the melody I created. The lyrics are also the same. It isn’t an ‘AI-generated song’. It is my composition and my words.