artificial intelligence
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Stability AI, one of the world’s most prominent generative AI companies, has joined the likes of Google, Meta and Open AI in creating a model that generates clips of music and sound. Called “Stable Audio,” the new text-to-music generator was trained on sounds from the music library Audio Sparx.
Stability touts its new product as the first music generation product that creates high-quality, 44.1 kHz music for commercial use though a process called “latent diffusion” — a process that was first introduced for images through Stable Diffusion, the company’s marquee product. Stable Audio uses sound conditioned on text metadata as well as audio file duration and start time to allow for greater control over the content of the generated audio.
By typing prompts like “post-rock, guitars, drum kit, bass, strings, euphoric, up-lifting, moody, flowing, raw, epic, sentimental, 125 BPM,” users can create up-to 20 seconds of sound through its free tier, or up-to 90 seconds of sound via its pro subscription.
In its announcement, the company touts Stable Audio as a tool for musicians “seeking to create samples to use in their own music.” The music generated could also be used to soundtrack advertisements and creator content, among other commercial applications.
“As the only independent, open and multimodal generative AI company, we are thrilled to use our expertise to develop a product in support of music creators,” says Emad Mostaque, CEO of Stability AI. “Our hope is that Stable Audio will empower music enthusiasts and creative professionals to generate new content with the help of AI, and we look forward to the endless innovations it will inspire.”
This is not the AI giant’s first foray into audio and music AI. The company already has an open-source generative audio label, HarmonAI, which is designed to create accessible and playful music production tools “by musicians for musicians.” Parts of the HarmonAI team, including Ed Newton Rex, its vp of product, took part in the designing of Stable Audio.
Urgent action is needed to protect the United Kingdom’s longstanding success as one of the world’s biggest exporters of music, warns a new report from umbrella trade organization UK Music.
In particular, robust copyright laws must be put in place to ensure that creators and rights holders are shielded from the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI), says the trade body’s “Manifesto for Music,” published Tuesday (Sept. 12), which calls for increased government support to grow the sector.
In 2021, U.K. music exports totaled £2.5 billion ($3.1 billion) — up 10% on the previous year, but still lower than 2019’s pre-pandemic figures — according to data from UK Music. Those export totals are made up of record sales, publishing revenue, overseas touring by British acts and tourism spending by international tourists attending live shows in the United Kingdom.
When it comes to recorded music, hit albums by Harry Styles, Glass Animals and Ed Sheeran helped British music exports climb to a record high of £709 million ($910 million) last year, maintaining the country’s long-held position as the second largest exporter of music globally after the United States, according to labels trade body BPI.
Overall, the United Kingdom is the world’s third biggest recorded music market, as per IFPI rankings, behind the United States and Japan.
However, the growth of streaming in emerging territories such as Latin America, the Middle East and South Korea has eaten into the United Kingdom’s share of the global music market, which has fallen from a peak of 17% in 2015 to 12% in 2022. To arrest that decline, UK Music has published a five-point plan to boost exports, protect venues and studios, and promote diversity.
Among the trade group’s recommendations is the enforcement of strong copyright protections against generative AI systems, including clear labeling and a requirement for AI developers to keep and disclose records of any music works used for training purposes.
UK Music is additionally asking policymakers to introduce specific personality and image rights into the British legal framework — and ensure that AI-generated music is clearly distinguishable from human-created works.
Last month, a U.K. Parliament committee issued its own report on regulating the use of AI technology in the music and creative industries. One of the committee’s key recommendations was for the British government to commit to abandoning plans for a proposed (and since shelved) new text and data mining (TDM) exception that would allow AI companies to freely use copyright-protected works for commercial purposes.
“It’s critical that we ensure AI enables and supports human artistry and creativity, and does not damage it,” said UK Music interim chief executive Tom Kiehl, echoing the committee’s request to rule out any new TDM exceptions.
“Strong copyright and intellectual property protections must be at the center of any approach when it comes to AI,” said Kiehl.
Other recommendations in UK Music’s manifesto include the introduction of a new tax credit — similar to what’s in place in other European markets and some U.S. states — encouraging new music production in the country.
The trade group, which recently saw chief executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin exit the London-based organization to work for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is also calling for increased investment in music education and for the government to secure a post-Brexit cultural touring agreement with the European Union that would reduce costs for U.K. acts touring Europe.
“Without action, the U.K. risks being overtaken by countries who are more proactive and ambitious in promoting their music sectors,” said Kiehl.
The United Kingdom’s moves to police the rapidly evolving AI sector come as other countries and jurisdictions, including the United States, China and the European Union, explore their own paths toward regulating the nascent technology.
Global organization of music publishers the International Confederation of Music Publishers (ICMP) has partnered with piracy tracking company MUSO on a new ICMP Anti-Piracy Platform (APP) that aims to combat unlawful uses of member companies’ musical works. ICMP’s membership of major and independent music companies spans the globe, encompassing 76 national trade associations on six […]
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A U.K. Parliament committee is calling on the British government to ensure that artificial intelligence (AI) developers are prevented from the free use of copyright-protected musical works for training purposes — and to commit to abandoning much-criticized plans that opponents say would significantly weaken copyright protections for artists and rights holders.
A report from the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) Committee published Wednesday (Aug. 30) says that any future legislation governing the use of AI technology in the United Kingdom, the world’s third-biggest music market, must not risk “reducing arts and cultural production to mere ‘inputs’ in AI development.”
Committee members also state that urgent action must be taken to improve protections for artists and creators against the misuse of their likenesses, image rights and performances by emerging technologies such as generative AI.
The report comes more than a year after U.K. government body The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) first proposed the introduction of a new text and data mining (TDM) exception allowing AI developers to freely use copyright-protected works for commercial purposes.
Those plans, announced by the IPO last June, gave rights holders no option to opt out of the TDM exception, although they did state that tech developers would still require “lawful access” to any copyright-protected data, enabling rights holders to agree to license fees and charge for access.
The proposals drew strong criticism from across the creative industries, with Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, CEO of umbrella trade body UK Music, describing them as a “green light to music laundering.” In response, the government announced in February that it had listened to the objections and would no longer be proceeding with the original plans.
The CMS Committee welcomed the change of course but warned that the government’s handling “shows a clear lack of understanding of the needs of the U.K.’s creative industries.”
“The chorus of warnings from musicians, authors and artists about the real and lasting harm a failure to protect intellectual property in a world where the influence of AI is growing should be enough for ministers to sit up and take notice,” said CMS Committee chair Dame Caroline Dinenage in a statement.
Dinenage said the government must follow through on its pledge to abandon plans for a text and data mining exception to copyright-protected works and regain the trust of the creative industries by developing “a copyright and regulatory regime that properly protects them” from the potential risks of AI.
The U.K.’s current legal framework, which contains TDM allowances for non-commercial research purposes while also allowing rights holders to commercially license their work, “provides an appropriate balance between innovation and creator rights,” said the committee report.
The U.K.’s moves to police the rapidly evolving AI sector comes as other countries and jurisdictions, including the United States, China and the European Union, explore their own paths toward regulating the nascent technology.
The EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act, which was first proposed in April 2021 and is now being negotiated among politicians in different branches of government, is leading the way as the world’s first comprehensive legislation around AI. It states that generative AI systems will be forced to disclose any content that they produce that is AI-generated — helping differentiate computer-created works from those authored by humans — and provide detailed, publicly available summaries of any copyright-protected music or data they have used for training purposes.
Other provisions in European law, most notably those contained in 2019’s EU Copyright Directive, also deal with AI and text and data mining exceptions of copyrighted content, such as music, although these are more robust than those initially proposed — and since abandoned — by the U.K. government. These EU provisions include allowing rights holders to stop AI systems from using their content for training purposes, or to limit which ones can in order to license that right.
Responding to the CMS Committee’s recommendations, BPI chief executive Jo Twist said it was “essential that artists and rightsholders can work in partnership with technology and that policies do not allow AI to get a free ride, but to always respect human creativity by seeking permission and remunerating the use of creative content.”
Grimes is among the first wave of featured speakers for the 2024 South by Southwest (SXSW) conference, an event which promises to lean into AI-focused programming.
Announced today (Aug. 29), the multidisciplinary artist will join a session dubbed “AI and the Independent Artist,” which will explore how artificial intelligence is changing the way artists create and market their music, engage with their fans, and, of course, the challenges and responsibilities for the music industry that come with it.
The Canadian artist is known for pushing boundaries in the creative space. She enhanced that reputation by unveiling her Elf.Tech project earlier in the year, an open-source software program which encourages fans to make music (and money) with replications of her voice.
TuneCore CEO Andreea Gleeson and CreateSafe CEO Daouda Leonard are also confirmed for the panel, on which they will “present principles for companies to consider” and share results and lessons learned from early AI pilot programs, according to a SXSW statement.
The conversation on AI is only getting started. Just last week, streaming giant YouTube and Universal Music Group, the world’s biggest music company, announced a new initiative with artists and producers for an “AI Music Incubator,” and YT unveiled its own set of principals as it promised to “embrace” AI “responsibly together” with its music partners.
Other SXSW daytime discussions will drill into “AI and Humanity’s Co-evolution,”” with speakers venture partner at SignalFire Josh Constine and OpenAI’s VP of consumer product and head of ChatGPT Peter Deng; “Building the Next Era of the Internet” with author, general partner at Andreessen Horowitz, and founder/managing partner at a16z crypto Chris Dixon; and a conversation with creator, host, and executive producer of the podcast Call Her Daddy Alex Cooper and founder and CEO of ACE Entertainment Matt Kaplan.
Also slated for the conference schedule, CEO of the Future Today Institute and professor at NYU Stern School of Business Amy Webb will launch the 2024 Emerging Tech Trend Report.
SXSW 2024 will take place March 8–16 in Austin, TX.
Established in 1987, SXSW celebrates the convergence of tech, film and television, music, education, and culture and is recognized as an important destination for professionals who play in those spaces.
SXSW 2024 is sponsored by Porsche, C4 Energy, and The Austin Chronicle.
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Ask 100 people how they feel about AI-generated songs and you will likely get 100 different answers. But ask Selena Gomez how she feels about someone who cobbled together an AI version of The Weeknd‘s “Starboy” featuring her computer-generated vocals layered next to those of her ex and, well, her answer is swift and succinct. […]
This is The Legal Beat, a weekly newsletter about music law from Billboard Pro, offering you a one-stop cheat sheet of big new cases, important rulings and all the fun stuff in between.
This week: A federal judge rules that works created by A.I. are not covered by copyrights; an appeals court revives abuse lawsuits against Michael Jackson’s companies; Smokey Robinson beats a lawsuit claiming he owed $1 million to a former manager; SoundExchange sues SiriusXM for “gaming the system” on royalties; and much more.
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No Copyrights For A.I. Works – But Tougher Questions Loom
The rise of artificial intelligence will pose many difficult legal questions for the music business, likely requiring some combination of litigation, regulation and legislation before all the dust settles. But on at least one A.I. issue, a federal judge just gave us a clean, straightforward answer.
In a decision issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled that American copyright law does not cover works created entirely by artificial intelligence – full stop. That’s because, the judge said, the essential purpose of copyright law is to encourage human beings to create new works.
“Non-human actors need no incentivization with the promise of exclusive rights under United States law, and copyright was therefore not designed to reach them,” the judge wrote.
Though novel, the decision was not entirely surprising. Federal courts have long strictly limited copyrights to content created by humans, rejecting it for works created by animals, by forces of nature, and even those claimed to have been authored by divine spirits, like religious texts.
But the ruling was nonetheless important because it came amid growing interest in the future role that could be played in the creation of music and other content by so-called generative AI tools, similar to the much-discussed ChatGPT. The issue of copyright protection is crucial to the future role of AI, since works that are not protected would be difficult to monetize.
Trickier legal dilemmas lie ahead. What if an AI-powered tool is used in the studio to create parts of a song, but human artists then add other elements? How much human direction on the use of AI tools is needed for the output to count as “human authorship”? How can a court filter out, in practical terms, elements authored by computers?
On those questions, the current answers are much squishier – something that Judge Howell hinted at in her decision. “Undoubtedly, we are approaching new frontiers in copyright as artists put AI in their toolbox to be used in the generation of new visual and other artistic works. The increased attenuation of human creativity from the actual generation of the final work will prompt challenging questions.”
“This case, however, is not nearly so complex.”
Other top stories this week…
MJ ABUSE CASES REVIVED – A California appeals court revived lawsuits filed by two men who claim Michael Jackson sexually abused them as children, ruling that they can pursue negligence claims against his companies. A lower court dismissed the cases on the grounds that staffers had no power to control Jackson, who was the sole owner of the companies. But the appeals court called such a ruling “perverse” and overturned it: “A corporation that facilitates the sexual abuse of children by one of its employees is not excused from an affirmative duty to protect those children merely because it is solely owned by the perpetrator.”
SMOKEY ROBINSON TRIAL VICTORY – The legendary Motown singer won a jury trial against a former manager who claimed he was owed nearly $1 million in touring profits, capping off more than six years of litigation over the soured partnership. Robinson himself took the stand during the case, telling jurors that the deal was never intended to cover concert revenue.
“GAMING THE SYSTEM” – SoundExchange filed a lawsuit against SiriusXM claiming the satellite radio giant is using bookmaking trickery in order to withhold more than $150 million in royalties owed to artists. The case centers on allegations that SiriusXM is manipulating how it bundles satellite services with web streaming services to “grossly underpay the royalties it owes.”
TIKTOK JUDGE RESPONDS – A judge in New Jersey defended himself against misconduct allegations over TikTok videos in which he lip-synced to Rihanna’s “Jump” and other popular songs, admitting “poor judgment” and “vulgar” lyrics but saying he should receive only a light reprimand for what intended as “silly, harmless, and innocent fun.”
LAWSUIT OVER TAKEOFF SHOOTING – Joshua Washington, an assistant to the rapper Quavo, filed a lawsuit over last year’s shooting in Houston that killed fellow Migos rapper Takeoff. He claims injuries sustained during the attack are the fault of the bowling alley where the shooting took place, which he says failed to provide adequate security, screening or emergency assistance.
GUNPLAY FACING FELONY COUNTS – The rapper Gunplay was arrested in Miami and hit with three felony charges over an alleged domestic violence incident in which he is reportedly accused of drunkenly pointing an AK-47 assault rifle at his wife and child during an argument.
FRENCH DIDN’T CLEAR SAMPLE? – The rapper French Montana was hit with a copyright lawsuit claiming his 2022 song “Blue Chills” features an unlicensed sample from singer-songwriter Skylar Gudasz. She claims he tentatively agreed to pay her for the clip – both in an upfront payment and a 50 percent share of the publishing copyright — but then never actually signed the deal.
YOUTUBE FRAUDSTER SENTENCED – Webster “Yenddi” Batista Fernandez, one of the leaders of the largest-known YouTube music royalty scam in history, was sentenced to nearly four years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy. Under the name MediaMuv, Batista and an accomplice fraudulently collected roughly $23 million in royalties from over 50,000 songs by Latin musicians ranging from small artists to global stars like Daddy Yankee.
Universal Music Group announced on Monday (Aug. 21) a partnership with YouTube to create a set of principles and best practices around the use of artificial intelligence within the music community, as well as a Music AI Incubator bringing together several UMG artists and producers to help study the effect of the technology, including Anitta, Juanes, Yo Gotti, Louis Bell, ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus, Ryan Tedder and the estate of Frank Sinatra, among others.
In announcing the new incubator and the three principles — which boil down to embracing the new technological possibilities while protecting creators and establishing content and safety policies — UMG chairman/CEO Lucian Grainge penned an op-ed for YouTube’s blog, in which he acknowledged both the possibilities and the potential dangers of AI.
“Given this tension, our challenge and opportunity as an industry is to establish effective tools, incentives and rewards – as well as rules of the road – that enable us to limit AI’s potential downside while promoting its promising upside,” Grainge writes. “If we strike the right balance, I believe AI will amplify human imagination and enrich musical creativity in extraordinary new ways.”
In reference to the collaboration with YouTube, Grainge points to the video streamer’s development of its ContentID system, which helps screen user-generated content uploaded to the service for copyrighted works, and helps get creators (and copyright owners, such as UMG) paid for their use on the platform. That type of collaboration between DSP and music companies is foundational to the work YouTube and UMG are beginning with respect to AI, Grainge says.
“The truth is, great entertainment doesn’t just reach audiences on its own,” he writes. “It also requires the global infrastructure, new business models, scaled distribution, innovative partnerships and effective safeguards that enable talented artists to create with freedom and receive fair compensation. … Today, our partnership is building on that foundation with a shared commitment to lead responsibly, as outlined in YouTube’s AI principles, where Artificial Intelligence is built to empower human creativity, and not the other way around. AI will never replace human creativity because it will always lack the essential spark that drives the most talented artists to do their best work, which is intention. From Mozart to The Beatles to Taylor Swift, genius is never random.”
Read his full op-ed here.
YouTube announced a new initiative with artists and producers from Universal Music Group on Monday (August 21): An “AI Music Incubator” that will include input from Anitta, Juanes, Ryan Tedder, Björn Ulvaeus from Abba, Rodney Jerkins, d4vd, Max Richter, and the estate of Frank Sinatra, among others.
“This group will explore, experiment and offer feedback on the AI-related musical tools and products they are researching,” Universal CEO Lucian Grainge wrote in a blog post. “Once these tools are launched, the hope is that more artists who want to participate will benefit from and enjoy this creative suite.”
Grainge added that “our challenge and opportunity as an industry is to establish effective tools, incentives and rewards — as well as rules of the road — that enable us to limit AI’s potential downside while promoting its promising upside.”
In a statement, Ulvaeus said that “while some may find my decision controversial, I’ve joined this group with an open mind and purely out of curiosity about how an AI model works and what it could be capable of in a creative process. I believe that the more I understand, the better equipped I’ll be to advocate for and to help protect the rights of my fellow human creators.”
Juanes noted in a statement of his own that “artists must play a central role in helping to shape the future of this technology” so “that it is used respectfully and ethically in ways that amplify human musical expression for generations to come.”
This sentiment was echoed by Richter: “Unless artists are part of this process, there is no way to ensure that our interests will be taken into account,” the composer said in a statement. “We have to be in this conversation, or our voices won’t be heard.”
Neal Mohan, YouTube’s CEO, also published the company’s “AI music principles” on Monday. The company promised to “embrace” AI “responsibly together with our music partners” and noted that any AI initiatives “must include appropriate protections and unlock opportunities for music partners who decide to participate.”
YouTube’s “AI music principles” as posted:
AI is here, and we will embrace it responsibly together with our music partners.
AI is ushering in a new age of creative expression, but it must include appropriate protections and unlock opportunities for music partners who decide to participate.
We’ve built an industry-leading trust and safety organization and content policies. We will scale those to meet the challenges of AI.