Leading music organisation Sony Music has demanded that Google, Microsoft, OpenAI and other technology firms reveal whether they have used its artists’ songs to develop unauthorised artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Sony is said to have written to more than 700 firms, accusing them of “unauthorised uses”, and given them a deadline to respond. It said it would enforce its copyright policy “to the full extent permitted by applicable law”. Sony Music is the largest music publisher in the world and represents artists such as Beyonce and Adele. The EU’s forthcoming AI Act is set to tighten up and clarify rules around AI and how systems are trained.
Concerns have been raised around the use of AI in music, focused on how it learns to produce its output and whether it has permission to draw on works from books or music catalogues. High-profile cases have arisen around this issue. For instance, acclaimed author George R.R. Martin took legal action against the makers of ChatGPT for “systematic theft on a mass scale”. Actress Scarlett Johansson also claimed that OpenAI used a voice similar to hers for ChatGPT and interpreted this as being done without her permission. Musicians have also spoken out about AI in music, with Nick Cave last year stating that ChatGPT should “just fuck off and leave songwriting alone”. Guitarist Slash has also more recently commented that the use of AI in music “does not really thrill me”.
Last month, over 200 leading artists, including Billie Eilish, Robert Smith, Stevie Wonder and Nicki Minaj, signed an open letter warning against the “predatory” use of AI in music. They were joined by MPs in suggesting that musicians and celebrities should be protected against AI deepfakes by law. In March, a presentation that focused solely on being pro-artificial intelligence was booed by audiences at the SXSW festival. Sony is now insisting that tech firms be transparent about whether they have used Sony-owned works to develop AI systems
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