The Ariston Theatre as seen during the Sanremo Music Festival 2026. Photo Credit: Ferdinando Traversa
Italy’s Sanremo Music Festival has implemented strict rules concerning the use of AI, and organizers have reserved the right to utilize “any available technology to check” competitors’ songs for machine contributions.
Sanremo Music Festival made the AI stance official in a newly published rulebook for its 2027 installment, scheduled for February 16th through the 20th. Prompted by the Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (FIMI), the requirements stop short of barring competitors from using artificial intelligence.
But they do describe stringent AI limits for said contestants, whose original “songs must be an expression of human creativity.”
“The songs must be an expression of human creativity,” the translated AI rules read. “Therefore, artificial intelligence systems or tools may not be used – in their conception, in the composition of music and lyrics, or in their production – if such use entails the replacement, alteration, or distortion of the human creative contribution that constitutes an essential characteristic of the participating songs.”
Not unlike with KOMCA’s since-reversed registration policy for AI-assisted works, a bit of subjectivity is unavoidable when attempting to determine, in practice, the precise definition of “alteration” here.
Nevertheless, participating artists will presumably err on the side of caution by avoiding assistive tools and especially straight generative models – particularly because both the host network and Sanremo 2027 artistic director Stefano De Martino can check for the use of AI at their discretion.
Per the translated rules once again, RAI and De Martino “reserve the right, where deemed necessary, to use any available technological means to verify and evaluate the possible use of artificial intelligence systems and tools in the conception, composition, and production of the songs.”
As such, with the Sanremo 2027 “Performance Night” winner set to represent Italy in the Eurovision (scheduled for May), it seems safe to predict that the aforementioned “human creativity” will take center stage.
That’s just as well; AI’s growing prevalence aside, a competition for artists should, after all, prioritize actual artistry. Nevertheless, organizers’ decision to adopt rigid artificial intelligence rules – without banning AI’s use altogether – appears to reflect where the tech stands in the music world.
Many creatives have criticized gen AI, others have openly acknowledged incorporating it into their releases, and certain companies are closing high-profile licensing deals while simultaneously grappling with supersized infringement claims.
What about the live side? For many obvious reasons, virtual acts shouldn’t and won’t replace human talent at crowd-based events (or anywhere, for that matter). Even so, can a select few digital avatars turn large viewer and subscriber counts into relatively successful in-person shows?
We might already have an answer, as “AI twins Neuro-sama and Evil Neuro,” boasting some three million combined followers across all platforms, are scheduled to “play” The Vermont Hollywood on the afternoon of December 19th.
According to the appropriate event page, the concert has sold out – meaning fans seemingly scooped up north of 1,000 tickets in a day or so.