Musicians step up battle over AI produced songs

One of the longest strikes in Hollywood history came to an end last week after the writers’ union and studios reached a deal about the future of artificial intelligence.

Over 10,000 writers had taken to the picket line in a 148-day-long strike about the technology and how it could be used to undercut their work.

The action – which was coordinated alongside a separate actors’ union – brought the industry to an effective standstill.

But in a major victory for writers, the studio agreed to a set of landmark rules that will govern the use of AI in Hollywood projects – including how it will impact pay and credits for writers. 

And whilst this has been heralded as a triumph for workers in the movie business, its impact could be felt even further afield.

Tuned in: Universal Music, which has Taylor Swift (pictured) on its books, is negotiating a deal with Google about licensing voices and melodies for AI-songs

The Musicians Union (MU), which represents over 33,000 artists across the UK, told the Mail the agreement was precedent-setting, demonstrating what can be achieved to protect songwriters and performers from the threats of AI.

‘It is a major precedent for what can be done in the music world and the protection artists need,’ Phil Kear, MU assistant general secretary, said.

The union has been lobbying the Government for rights to be introduced that will protect musicians and music creators from any unauthorised use of their works and performances.

The rise of generative AI – which creates human-like content through online prompts – has spooked musicians and their labels because it could be used to mimic voices, melodies and lyrics without consent.

This could ultimately mean creating fake versions of songs – undercutting labels and their talent.

Earlier this year, Universal Music, the world’s biggest label, had an AI-produced song that mimicked rapper Drake and singer The Weeknd removed from streaming platforms.

And some have called for greater licensing protections to be put in place by the Government – essentially creating a mechanism that will mean AI firms must pay if they want to use a musician’s content.

Although the biggest labels are constantly in talks with ministers about how to combat this emerging tech, some have started to take action into their own hands.

Universal Music, which has the likes of Beyonce and Taylor Swift on its books, is negotiating a deal with Google about how to license the voices and melodies of artists for AI-generated songs.

It is setting out how the relevant copyright owners would be paid and is working with artists on how this can be applied across the whole industry.

But Tom Kiehl, interim chief executive of UK Music, the industry trade body, has called for a more robust framework.

‘We need the Government to take action and ensure the right guardrails are put in place regarding AI with copyright and the protection of intellectual property put at the heart of Government policy-making,’ he said.

‘It’s vital the training of AI respects the key principles of copyright and securing people’s content. 

Failing to do that could be catastrophic for our creative industries and could terminally damage the talent pipeline on which we rely.’

Jo Twist, chief executive of BPI, which represents music labels, said: ‘Safeguarding human artistry and the interests of creators is front and centre in all of this.’

And as Rishi Sunak gears up to host his first AI summit next month, the boss of music streaming service Spotify has said the UK has a distinct opportunity outside the EU to carve out its own rules.

‘The UK can be nimble right now and show leadership,’ Daniel Ek told the Financial Times this week.

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk