Universal Music Group, one of the world’s largest music industry giants, has voiced its concerns over the emerging technology of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The Financial Times report on April 13 revealed that the company has urged streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music to block AI services from being able to harvest melodies and lyrics from copyrighted songs. The move comes amidst growing concerns about the potential misuse of AI in the music industry, particularly in terms of copyright infringement.
The use of AI in the music industry has been on the rise in recent years, with companies like Amper Music and AIVA leading the way in developing AI-generated music. While AI-generated music has been hailed by some as a breakthrough in music composition, others have raised concerns about the potential misuse of the technology. One of the main concerns is that AI-generated music could infringe on copyright laws, as the technology has the ability to generate music that sounds similar to existing copyrighted songs.
Universal Music Group’s call for streaming services to block AI services from harvesting melodies and lyrics from copyrighted songs is an attempt to address this concern. The company has argued that such technology could be used to create “copycat” songs that infringe on copyright laws. In a statement, Universal Music Group said that it was “committed to protecting the rights of our artists and songwriters” and that it would “continue to work with our partners in the music industry to ensure that the value of music is properly recognized and rewarded.”
The move by Universal Music Group is just the latest in a series of efforts by the music industry to address the potential misuse of AI in music composition. In 2019, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) issued a report warning about the potential risks of AI-generated music, including the possibility of copyright infringement. The report called on policymakers to “consider the implications of AI-generated music and the need for a balanced approach to its regulation.”
Despite these concerns, the use of AI in music composition is likely to continue to grow in the coming years. AI-generated music has already been used in a number of commercial applications, including advertising, film scores, and video games. While the technology is still in its early stages, many experts believe that AI-generated music has the potential to revolutionize the music industry, making it faster, cheaper, and more accessible to a wider range of people.
In conclusion, the music industry is grappling with the potential risks and benefits of AI-generated music. While companies like Universal Music Group are calling for greater regulation of the technology to prevent copyright infringement, others are hailing AI-generated music as a breakthrough in music composition. As the technology continues to develop, it is likely that we will see a growing debate over the use of AI in the music industry, and the need for a balanced approach to its regulation.
