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Sony Music has sent warning letters to more than 700 artificial intelligence developers and music streaming services around the world, in the latest salvo in the music industry's battle against tech groups that defraud artists.
Sony Music's letter, seen by the Financial Times, explicitly prohibits AI developers from using the company's music (which also includes artists such as Harry Styles, Adele and Beyoncé), and explicitly prohibits AI developers from using the company's music, which includes artists such as Harry Styles, Adele and Beyonce. You have opted out of data mining. For any purpose, including training, development, and commercialization of AI systems.
A person close to the group said Sony Music has sent letters to companies developing AI systems, including OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, Suno and Audio.
The world's second-largest music group also sent a separate letter to streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple, asking them to protect artists and songwriters and their music from non-consensual scraping, mining and training by AI developers. It calls for the adoption of “best practice” measures. compensation. We're asking you to update your terms of service to make clear that mining or training content is not permitted.
Sony Music declined further comment.
The letter, sent to technology companies around the world this week, prevents copyrighted songs and artists' melodies, lyrics and images from being used by technology companies to create new versions or train their systems. It marks an expansion of the group's efforts. to make their own music.
The letter says Sony Music and its artists “recognize the significant potential and advancements of artificial intelligence,” but adds that it is “misappropriated.” . . In the training, development, and commercialization of AI systems. [Sony] management and appropriate compensation.”
It says: “This letter directly informs and reiterates to you: [Sony’s labels] We expressly prohibit the use of [their] content. “
Executives of the New York-based group are concerned that their music has already been stolen, and are first in line to take action against developers of AI systems that they believe have exploited their music. We would like to come up with a clearly defined legal position that will help us move forward. music. They argue that Sony Music is willing to sign music licensing deals with AI developers, but wants to set a fair price to do so.
The letter reads: “Due to the nature of your business and publicly available information about your AI systems, we have reason to believe that you and/or your affiliates may already be engaged in abuse. [of Sony content] In connection with the training, development, and commercialization of AI systems. ”
Sony Music has asked developers to provide details of all content used by next week.
The letter also reflects concerns about fragmented approaches to AI regulation around the world. Global regulations for AI vary widely, with some regions developing new rules and legal frameworks covering the training and use of such systems, while others are challenging the relationship with developers. It is up to companies in the creative industries to build.
In many countries around the world, particularly in the EU, copyright holders are encouraged to publicly state that their content cannot be used for data mining or AI training.
According to the letter, the prohibitions include using bots, spiders, scrapers, or automated programs, tools, algorithms, codes, processes, or methodologies, as well as “analyzing text and data in digital format to extract information containing patterns. It is stated that this includes the use of “automated analysis techniques for the purpose of generating , Trends and Correlations”.
