Musicians step up battle over AI produced songs

One of the longest strikes in Hollywood history ended last week after the writers’ union and the studios reached an agreement over the future of artificial intelligence.

More than 10,000 writers had joined a 148-day strike over the technology and how it could be used to undermine their work.

The action – which was coordinated together with a separate union of actors – effectively brought the industry to a standstill.

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

And while this was heralded as a triumph for film industry workers, its impact could be felt even further afield.

The Musicians Union (MU), which represents more than 33,000 artists in the UK, told the Mail that the agreement sets a precedent and demonstrates what can be achieved to protect songwriters and artists from the threats of AI.

“It’s an important precedent for what can be done in the music world and for the protection artists need,” said Phil Kear, MU deputy general secretary.

The union lobbies the government for the introduction of rights that protect musicians and music makers against unauthorized use of their works and performances.

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

This could ultimately mean fake versions of songs are created, undermining labels and their talent.

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

And some have called for greater government licensing protections – essentially creating a mechanism that means AI companies will have to pay if they want to use a musician’s content.

While the biggest labels are in constant discussions with ministers about how to combat this emerging technology, some have started to take action into their own hands.

Universal Music, whose books include Beyonce and Taylor Swift, is negotiating a deal with Google on how artists’ voices and melodies can be licensed for AI-generated songs.

It sets out how relevant copyright owners would be paid and works with artists on how this could be applied across the sector.

But Tom Kiehl, interim chief executive of UK Music, the industry 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 intellectual property protection at the heart of government policymaking,” he said.

“It is critical that AI training respects key principles of copyright and securing people’s content.

Failure to do so could be catastrophic for our creative industries and permanently damage the talent pipeline we rely on.”

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

And as Rishi Sunak prepares to host his first AI summit next month, the boss of music streaming service Spotify has said Britain outside the EU has a clear opportunity to set its own rules.

“The UK can now be agile and show leadership,” Daniel Ek told the Financial Times this week.