Roundhead Studios Sets ‘No AI’ Policy

Auckland, New Zealand (July 6, 2026)—With the music industry’s implementation of AI growing day by day, concerns about respecting the value of human creativity have ballooned in tandem. Now one of New Zealand’s most prominent recording facilities, Roundhead Studios, has launched an in-house AI Music Tools Policy in an effort to “take active steps to ensure that our community is supported by engaging in dialogue around the use of AI generation tools and the harmful effects they have on our songwriters and musicians.”

Announcing its new policy today, Roundhead noted that it “prides itself on creativity, originality and an ambition to reach for something greater. Our spaces continue to exist because of the musical innovations of the artists who create here, and it is our duty to support and promote this creativity.”

With that in mind, the facility has set forth three standards—that no AI songwriting or music-generation tools will be allowed inside the facility; that AI tools will not be used in any the studio’s own productions; and that it will not accept work that involves reworking or re-recording AI-generated musical content. To help enforce the policy, the studio notes, “Our bookings now require disclosure of the use of AI tools, allowing us to help provide alternative paths for those projects.”

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While the facility doesn’t allow AI, it has numerous other tools for hitmaking onsite—Studio A is outfitted with a 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos system and sports a 1976 Neve 8088 custom console originally commissioned for The Who, while The Brick Room centers around an API 1608 desk with automation.

That Roundhead would take such a forthright stance against the use of AI for songwriting is perhaps not that surprising, however; the facility is owned by noted singer/songwriter Neil Finn (Crowded House, Split Enz), and over the years has hosted sessions by artists such as Dua Lipa, Jeff Tweedy, Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry, Jack Antonoff, Lorde, Lil Yacht, Lil Uzi, Burna Boy, Pink, Johnny Marr, The Chills, Paul Kelly and numerous others.