Headlines

Universal Music Group Considering Legal Action Against TikTok

For those who enjoy high-stakes showdowns between major media companies and tech giants, Universal Music Group vs. TikTok has been action-packed. But you might need a fresh bowl of popcorn for what’s next. According to multiple sources leaking details to Digital Music News, UMG has been flooding TikTok with DMCA takedown notices following its stern content removals in late January. But that may be a prelude to more serious legal action in the coming weeks.

Source: Universal Music Group Considering Legal Action Against TikTok

A.I. Has a Measurement Problem

There’s a problem with leading artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude: We don’t really know how smart they are. That’s because, unlike companies that make cars or drugs or baby formula, A.I. companies aren’t required to submit their products for testing before releasing them to the public. There’s no Good Housekeeping seal for A.I. chatbots.

Source: A.I. Has a Measurement Problem

The AI tools undermining our own eyes and ears

So far, almost all contentious AI-generated images have been debunked within hours, mostly because of the power of social media to quickly crowdsource errors in these photos that are often otherwise imperceptible. Big Tech companies and independent fact-checkers, too, have prioritized finding and removing such harmful politically motivated falsehoods. But audio remains uncharted territory.

Source: Spot the deepfake: The AI tools undermining our own eyes and ears

Inside Taylor Swift’s Surprise Return to TikTok

At a recent meeting with record label executives ahead of the debut of “The Tortured Poets Department,” Swift’s camp shared plans to promote the new album on platforms including TikTok, according to people familiar with the matter. Label executives were surprised. Months earlier, the label had pulled from TikTok a trove of Swift’s songs like “Cruel Summer” and “Shake It Off,” as well as works by its other artists.

Source: Inside Taylor Swift’s Surprise Return to TikTok

OpenAI makes ChatGPT ‘less verbose,’ blurring writer-AI distinction

This upgraded version enables the artificial intelligence (AI) tool to engage in more natural conversations. OpenAI said that the latest model, “gpt-4-turbo-2024-04-09,” boasts writing, math, logical reasoning and coding enhancements, along with an updated knowledge base. However, this update could worsen the ongoing challenge of writers sounding like AI despite having written the articles themselves.

Source: OpenAI makes ChatGPT ‘less verbose,’ blurring writer-AI distinction

Cutting Edge Group secures $500m to fund music rights acquisitions

According to the announcement from UK-headquartered Cutting Edge today (April 15), the new funds will be used for a combination of “corporate purposes” and the acquisition of music rights across the film, TV, theatre, gaming, and wellness spaces. Cutting Edge said it has already identified a “circa USD $1.5 billion pipeline” of potential investments.

Source: Cutting Edge Group secures $500m to fund music rights acquisitions

To understand the risks posed by AI, follow the money

We ought to heed the warning that technology evolves in uncertain ways. However, there is one class of AI risk that is generally knowable in advance. These are risks stemming from misalignment between a company’s economic incentives to profit from its proprietary AI model in a particular way and society’s interests in how the AI model should be monetised and deployed.

Source: To understand the risks posed by AI, follow the money

SAG-AFTRA strikes new deal with major labels, including protections for AI use

Though it still requires ratification by SAG-AFTRA members, the deal is a significant development for recording artists as it establishes safeguards for what the union calls “ethical and responsible treatment” in the use of artificial intelligence technology. The deal requires “clear and conspicuous consent” for the use of an artist’s voice in AI-generated content, along with minimum compensation levels, and details of the intended use of the AI replica.

Source: SAG-AFTRA strikes new deal with major labels on sound recordings, including protections for AI use

UK politicians call for changes in streaming royalty split 

The UK Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) committee issued a report on Wednesday (April 10) calling for a number of new policies, aimed at ensuring better compensation for people working in creative industries. One recommendation sure to get the attention of the music industry is a change to the split in streaming royalties between recorded music and music publishing.

Source: UK politicians call for changes in streaming royalty split between recorded music and publishing; compensation for use of materials in training AI

How to Stop Your Data From Being Used to Train AI

Tech companies have scraped vast swathes of the web to gather the data they claim is needed to create generative AI—with little regard for content creators, copyright laws, or privacy. On top of this, increasingly, firms with reams of people’s posts are looking to get in on the AI gold rush by selling or licensing that information. Looking at you, Reddit.

Source: How to Stop Your Data From Being Used to Train AI

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