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Sony Music Warns Companies Against Unauthorised AI Training on Artists' Content
Sony Music Group warns AI companies and music streaming platforms against using its content without permission. Unauthorised use of Sony Music Group's content for AI training deprives the company and its artists of control and compensation. Copyright infringement in generative AI raises concerns over artists' livelihoods and strains relationships with streaming platforms.
In an effort to protect its intellectual property, which includes album cover art, metadata, musical compositions, and lyrics, Sony Music sent letters to over 700 companies.
The unauthorised use of Sony Music Group's content for the training, development, or commercialization of AI systems deprives the company and its artists of control and compensation for their works. This warning comes as copyright infringement becomes a significant concern in the realm of generative AI, which is being used to create various forms of content, including text, images, and video.
While Hollywood actors and writers previously went on strike to safeguard their craft from AI, a new wave of startups is now producing entire albums of AI-generated music. This development has heightened concerns over artists' livelihoods and reignited tensions with streaming platforms.
Sony Music, like the rest of the industry, is faced with the challenge of balancing the creative potential of rapidly advancing technology while also protecting artists' rights and its own profits. The company emphasises its support for artists and songwriters embracing new technologies but insists that innovation must respect their rights, including copyrights.
Universal Music Group NV has also been vocal about protecting artists' rights, going so far as to remove its entire music catalog from TikTok and sue AI startup Anthropic for publishing song lyrics without permission. However, after months of dispute, Universal recently reached an agreement with TikTok to collaborate on AI development while safeguarding the interests of artists and songwriters.
The conflict between creators and AI companies is further exemplified by a proposed class action lawsuit against synthetic speech startup Lovo Inc. The lawsuit alleges that the company misappropriated actors' voices and deceptively marketed its product as legally using their voices. The complaint seeks to represent individuals whose voices were used without permission or proper compensation for AI text-to-speech generation.
In various jurisdictions, including the European Union, copyright owners are encouraged to publicly state that their content should not be used for data mining and AI training without specific licensing agreements. In the United States, the music industry has supported federal legislation to protect artists' voices and images from unauthorised AI use. Warner Music Group Corp. CEO Robert Kyncl testified in front of a congressional subcommittee, advocating for the "NO FAKES" Act, which aims to establish a robust licensing system and legal protection for name, likeness, and voice rights.
Sony Music Group warns AI companies and music streaming platforms against using its content without permission.
Unauthorised use of Sony Music Group's content for AI training deprives the company and its artists of control and compensation.
Copyright infringement in generative AI raises concerns over artists' livelihoods and strains relationships with streaming platforms.
Source: YAHOO