Sony Music Group warned over 700 technology companies and streaming services against using their music to train artificial intelligence (AI) systems. 

According to a TechCrunch report, Sony Music expressed concerns that recipients might have participated in these activities without the authorization of the second-largest record company.

Sony Music acknowledged AI's "significant potential" but stressed that unauthorized use of its content for AI training, development, or marketing deprives the firm and its artists of control and fair pay. 

Sony Music Threatens Tech Firms Violating Copyright

Sony Music emphasized the importance of preserving its audio and video assets, cover artwork, metadata, and lyrics in its letter. The letter does not provide the names of the firms that were contacted.

Sony Music noted that it supports composers and artists who spearhead "embracing new technology" in their craft. The company acknowledged technology's capacity to revolutionize creative industries and believes that AI will "keep the trend going." However, the record label stressed that "any innovation must respect" the copyrights of music artists and composers.

The letter also requests information from recipients about using Sony Music's songs in AI training, the number of copies made, and whether any are still in circulation.

The report stated that the record company provided recipients with a deadline and threatened to enforce its copyright "to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law in all jurisdictions."

With the emergence of generative AI, copyright issues are arising, which prompted California Democratic Representative Adam Schiff to submit legislation in April requiring AI businesses to declare their copyrighted tunes. 

In March, the Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act made Tennessee the first state to safeguard artists against AI.

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Music Artists Optimistic About AI 

In light of growing concerns over AI's impact on the music industry, the recent Music Business Association's Music Biz 2024 Conference mostly addressed the matter.

The Nashville conference, held May 13-16,  featured dozens of music, technology, and law speakers who discussed AI's unclear future and industrial influence, according to Billboard.

In one of the sessions, singer-songwriter Stephen Day acknowledged the rising prominence of AI in popular music but noted that he does not fear technology as what still matters is "the human heart and soul." 

MAX senior vice president of product and technology Jeff Rosenfeld said, "Technology continually upends the business of music," citing social media as a tool that impacted artist and label digital marketing techniques. He suggested that film and TV composers lacking a direct fan base could face risks. 

Panelists also acknowledged AI's possible risks to specific industry categories but remained cautiously optimistic about its future effects.

Numerous cases worldwide investigate whether generative AI systems like ChatGPT violate copyrights through training data sets.

According to an article from The Conversation, this also applies to generative AI music applications, with the data sets used to train these apps kept secret.

However, copyright infringement may have exceptions. In Australia, "fair dealing" allows the reproduction of copyright-protected content for research or study without requiring permission or payment. While in the US, "fair use policy may be invoked. 

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