Google and Universal Music negotiate over AI ‘deepfakes’
New technology that can mimic artists’ voices has been seen as growing threat. Well I guess this was inevitable and from a business stand point, Universal is getting ahead of the curve. However, this article show's the real dangers and issues around AI and music. Especially for the artist. It truly is a Pandora's box and I give Universal credit for at least looking into ways to ensure some level of ground rule and a licensing framework. Hopefully, other large publishers and PRO's will join forces to hammer out a framework that ensure artists and copyright holders have some protections and dare I say, a new revenue stream from their work.
The Financial Time's has a great article on this.
Check it out!
- DF
Google and Universal Music are in talks to license artists’ melodies and voices for songs generated by artificial intelligence as the music business tries to monetize one of its biggest threats. The discussions, confirmed by four people familiar with the matter, aim to strike a partnership for an industry that is grappling with the implications of new AI technology. The rise of generative AI has bred a surge in “deepfake” songs that can convincingly mimic the voices, lyrics or sound of established artists, often without their consent.
Frank Sinatra’s voice has been used on a version of the hip-hop song “Gangsta’s Paradise” while Johnny Cash’s has been deployed on the pop single “Barbie Girl”. A YouTube user called PluggingAI offers songs imitating the voices of the deceased rappers Tupac and Notorious B.I.G. “An artist’s voice is often the most valuable part of their livelihood and public persona, and to steal it, no matter the means, is wrong,” Universal Music general counsel Jeffrey Harleston told US lawmakers last month.
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