Music Labels' AI Lawsuits Spark Copyright Debate in Courts
Country musician Tift Merritt criticises AI-generated song as unoriginal. Major record labels sue AI music companies Udio and Suno over copyright issues. RIAA condemns AI systems for copying recordings and undermining human artists.
When asked to create a song in Merritt's style, AI music platform Udio swiftly produced "Holy Grounds," a ballad describing driving on backroads and watching the scenery change.
Merritt, a Grammy-nominated singer, voiced her displeasure with Udio's mimicry, claiming it fell short of her expectations. She blasted the technique, calling it unimaginative and comparing it to stealing rather than invention.
Merritt, along with Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj, and Stevie Wonder, signed an open letter warning that AI-generated music could stifle innovation and marginalise human artists.
Major record labels including Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music have filed legal action against Udio and Suno, another AI music startup. These lawsuits herald the start of high-stakes copyright conflicts over AI-generated content, posing difficult legal issues for the courts to resolve.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the music industry's trade body, decried the purported use of AI systems to replicate records and flood the market with imitations, diverting attention and cash away from genuine artists and songwriters.
As the litigation progress, the courts face significant hurdles, notably in deciding whether AI's use of copyrighted material justifies permission to produce new content. The delicate character of music, with its combination of melody, harmony, and rhythm, complicates determining copyright infringement in AI-generated works.
Legal experts predict that the cases will centre on the "fair use" defence, a grey area in US copyright law that permits for the use of copyrighted content under certain conditions. The outcome of these trials may have far-reaching consequences for the AI business and the future of music production.
Country musician Tift Merritt criticises AI-generated song as unoriginal
Major record labels sue AI music companies Udio and Suno over copyright issues
RIAA condemns AI systems for copying recordings and undermining human artists
Source: REUTERS