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Wednesday, Apr 02, 2025
Outside the box.
Music Industry Faces AI-Related Copyright Battles in US Courts
The music industry is grappling with AI-related copyright issues as artists and record labels take AI companies to court. Country musician Tift Merritt, alongside Billie Eilish and others, warn that AI could harm creativity, leading to lawsuits against AI firms Udio and Suno. These legal battles raise novel questions, especially around 'fair use,' as the music industry seeks to protect human artistry.
The rise of AI-generated music has sparked concern among artists and record labels, leading to legal battles over copyright infringement.
Country musician Tift Merritt, alongside artists like Billie Eilish and Nicki Minaj, warned that AI tools trained on their music could harm creativity and sideline human musicians.
This issue came to a head when Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music sued AI music companies Udio and Suno in June for allegedly copying elements of songs by artists like Mariah Carey and James Brown.
These lawsuits raise uncharted questions for courts and pose challenges unique to music copyright, where the interplay of melody, rhythm, and harmony makes infringement harder to determine.
Udio and Suno deny the copyright violations, claiming their technology falls under 'fair use,' a defense yet to be tested in AI cases.
Mitch Glazier of the RIAA criticized the companies for allegedly flooding the market with imitative content.
As these cases progress, they could reshape the legal landscape for both AI and the music industry.
Country musician Tift Merritt, alongside artists like Billie Eilish and Nicki Minaj, warned that AI tools trained on their music could harm creativity and sideline human musicians.
This issue came to a head when Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music sued AI music companies Udio and Suno in June for allegedly copying elements of songs by artists like Mariah Carey and James Brown.
These lawsuits raise uncharted questions for courts and pose challenges unique to music copyright, where the interplay of melody, rhythm, and harmony makes infringement harder to determine.
Udio and Suno deny the copyright violations, claiming their technology falls under 'fair use,' a defense yet to be tested in AI cases.
Mitch Glazier of the RIAA criticized the companies for allegedly flooding the market with imitative content.
As these cases progress, they could reshape the legal landscape for both AI and the music industry.
