The battle between the music industry and the widespread and often copyright-infringing use of AI to train and compile data sets has been heating up for some time, but now YouTube is reportedly negotiating with record labels to pay for the privilege instead.
According to an article in Financial Times (and reports from Engadget). However, if this deal goes through, it will most likely be the individual artists, not the record labels, who will have the final say on their participation.
It is no coincidence that these giants are also the focus of YouTube. Music producers with artificial intelligence Suno and Udio have recently faced with major lawsuits filed by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and major music labels for copyright infringement. The RIAA was also supported by companies such as Sony Music Entertainment, UMG Recordings, Inc. and Warner Records, Inc.
Moreover, this is not even the first time that YouTube has reportedly been involved in ways to fairly compensate music artists for using generative AI. In August 2023, the video platform announced its partnership with Universal Music Group to YouTube’s Music AI Incubator ProgramThis program would work with music industry talent such as artists, songwriters and producers to decide how to proceed with the advent of AI music.
Artists have been quite open about the use of generative AI and music
Judging by artists’ responses to the topic of AI in the past, many of them have been very open about the dangers and how it devalues their music. In April 2023, over 200 artists signed an open letter calls for protection for AI.
In a statement from the Artist Rights Alliance, these artists wrote: “This attack on human creativity must stop. We must protect against the predatory use of AI to steal professional artists’ voices and images, violate creators’ rights, and destroy the music ecosystem.”
Even artists who are more open to the use of generative AI in music and have even benefited from it are demanding to be included in all decisions about such use, such as open letter from Creative Commons will be released in September 2023.
The letter states: “Senator Schumer and members of Congress, we appreciate … that your goal is to be inclusive and to bring on board a range of ‘scholars, advocates and community leaders’ who are actively engaged in this field. Ultimately, that must mean including artists like us.”
The general consensus among creatives in the music industry is that whether they are for or against the use of generative AI, artists need to be included in conversations and policy decisions and that their works need to be properly protected. And considering that artists are the ones who have the most to lose, this is by far the best and most ethical way to address this issue.
