The following MBW article/editing comes from Michael Nash (pictured inside, below), Executive Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, Popular music group.
Artificial intelligence is changing the way we live, work and play – from chatbots that answer complex questions to systems that can write acceptable scripts to programs that have already passed a part of our lives. bar exam in the United States.
AI is now creating images comparable to professional artists — with a AI-generated portraits Sold for £40,000 at Sotheby’s and another piece win a State Fair competition in Colorado. But what many people don’t realize is that most of these AI systems derive their essential “knowledge” bases from large amounts of copyrighted content without consent or compensation. the actual people who produce and own this indispensable source material.
Learning from millions of images with related descriptions of themes, layouts, methods and other inputs, the most advanced AI can now generate derivative results that closely mimic individual styles distinctive of the original creator.
In some cases, this is used to create outright fakes. Often, it simply creates a flood of imitations — diluting the market, making original works harder to find, and violating artists’ legal rights to receive remuneration for their work.
Certainly, artists with a unique approach always inspire others to create similar works, explore common themes, or respond by taking a whole new direction.
Pioneering artists such as Picasso, Pollock, Calder, Basquiat and Bourgeois have all forged a new ground, with their radical work offering a tacit commentary on what came before. The same can be said for creators in every other medium, with this iterative approach based on influence and inspiration that transforms each respective field over time.
In all of these discoveries and exchanges, however, the original artists prospered from their own creative work, and the public benefited immensely.
“We welcome conversations with people who [AI pioneers] who accept creators’ rights and copyright law.”
Contrary to these moral motives, recent news reports talk about “investment fever in ‘creative artificial intelligence’” capture Silicon Valley “as tools that generate text, images, and sounds” from short prompts that “capture the imagination,” with venture capital firms dreaming of using AI to bring “marginal cost of creation… diminishes to zero.”
It is easy to see that this aspiration is becoming a disaster for artists.
It is therefore entirely understandable that these developments have led to profound concerns in our industry, with parallels drawn between the rise of AI and the rise of AI. Napster and unlicensed music sharing over twenty years ago. At the time, copyright law came to the rescue, ensuring that artists and trademarks were protected.
Since then, the industry has come a long way and it is currently impossible for AI to legally download songs or rip from streaming services as this would infringe both copyrights – which This allows the right holder to opt-out of AI training – and the platform’s terms of service.
We’re excited about how creative AI developers that respect the arts can propel our culture and industry forward, and we welcome conversations with rights advocates. of the creator and copyright law. Indeed, in some cases, we have seen that AI can and will help artists of all levels improve the quality of their work while expanding the principles of artistic authenticity.
While much of the debate so far has focused on using AI to create content, we’ve seen many other uses of AI that can help drive artist success. For example, AI can be used to help artists identify audiences in different markets around the world, optimize the technical aspects of audio production, and enhance the quality of the experience. Immersive music for old works.
“Unless creators are properly respected and compensated when their work is harnessed to train AI, the world’s creators will suffer long-term and widespread harm… argues that the interests of artists run counter to the promise of innovation that misunderstands history.”
At Universal Music, we are leveraging such innovative uses of AI. In fact, we already hold three AI patents does not focus on creating music, but instead on changing the way artists reach new fans and retain listeners in today’s interactive economy.
Of all the different uses of AI, promoting the interests of artists is paramount. At the heart of that most important philosophy is our belief that unless creators are properly respected and compensated when their work is harnessed to train AI, creators on The world will suffer widespread and long-term damage.
Proponents of artists’ interests as opposed to the promise of innovation are misreading history. And, they neglect to consider how art and technology have enjoyed transformative integration through media/technology convergence, fostering a vibrant creative ecosystem and economy. billion-dollar economy, driven by recognition of the value and rights of the creative community.
To help catalyze and accelerate creative protection in this emerging AI era, Universal Music Group — working alongside leading partners in the arts and creative industries, as well as legal scholars , public officials and representatives of the AI industry itself — will explore ways to ensure that innovative artificial intelligence rewards those whose intellectual property constitutes material contributing materially to drive output of artificial intelligence, not just the financial benefits of artificial intelligence.
In this context, policymakers should approach the development process of any AI-related public policy proposals with caution and caution so that these initiatives strengthen copyright and promote driving innovation, supporting tech entrepreneurs without compromising artists and their rights.
We hope the entire creative community and those who share our vision of the opportunity to collaborate in the field of AI technology will join us in our efforts to ensure that creators everywhere will reap the fruits of their work, and the power of AI’s new and extraordinary capabilities rationally harnessed for the common good.Global Music Business
