Earlier this year, Spotify released its annual Loud & Clear report which rounded up global royalties data. Now, Spotify has unveiled UK-specific equivalent data. The UK figures include the overarching (royalties generated by UK artists from Spotify exceeded £750M in 2023) and drill down to artist-level (the number of UK artists who generated over £10,000 and £50,000 in royalties from Spotify in 2023 has doubled since 2017).
Source: Spotify reveals UK-specific streaming royalties data
For many creatives, AI has evolved from a fear striking buzzword to steadfast companion. It’s now a tool that is seamlessly and regularly applied to the whole of the creative process: from ideation, through strategy and production, to execution. Its ability to streamline production and enhance outputs makes it a necessity for industry professionals — if you aren’t using it, your competitors are.
Source: How generative AI is influencing the creator economy
Members of SAG-AFTRA voted to ratify the 2024 Sound Recordings Code with record labels, approving a new contract with AI protections. Under this agreement, the terms “artist,” “singer,” and “royalty artist” only include humans, with “clear and conspicuous consent” alongside minimum compensation requirements and specific details of intended use required prior to the release of a sound recording that uses a digital replication of an artist’s voice.
Source: SAG-AFTRA Members Ratify Major Label AI Protection Agreement
Today’s big news: Universal Music Group and TikTok, by way of a joint announcement, have confirmed that they have struck a new licensing deal – three months after UMG pulled its recordings catalog from the service. What does this new deal mean for UMG and its artists and songwriters? Standout headline: More money. Reminder: according to Universal, TikTok’s royalty payouts to UMG prior to this new deal constituted just 1% of UMG’s total revenues.
Stock photographers who survived the disruptive advent of digital cameras and online sales are bracing themselves for the next great tech shock: generative AI. Some are predicting the worst. “The stock photography industry is going away,” said Connecticut-based photographer Tony Northrup.
Source: The Last Stock Photographers Await Their Fate Under Generative AI
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hinted that banning TikTok in the European Union is an option, during a debate this evening in Maastricht, featuring parties’ lead candidates for the bloc’s 2024 election. “It is not excluded,” von der Leyen said, after the moderator referred to the United States, where TikTok faces a national ban unless it is sold by its owner, ByteDance.
Source: TikTok ban in EU is ‘not excluded,’ von der Leyen says
British antitrust authorities are reviewing partnerships between tech giants and smaller AI developers, citing concerns about competition. This inquiry could reshape the AI industry’s landscape. Some experts warned that a strict antitrust ruling may not only alter how major corporations interact with emerging AI firms but could also dampen enthusiasm for new partnerships, possibly stalling the pace of innovation.
Source: As British Regulators Scrutinize Microsoft and Amazon AI Deals, Industry Braces for Impact
The National Institute of Standards and Technology today announced it’s launching a new initiative called NIST GenAI aimed at assessing generative artificial intelligence models and create systems that can identify AI=created text, images and videos. The launch of the new program came as NIST revealed its first draft publications on AI risks and standards.
Source: NIST announces new initiative to create systems that can detect AI-generated content – SiliconANGLE
Earlier this month, US publishing body the NMPA lobbed some brickbats at Spotify over its new music and audiobooks bundle, which (under the current US royalty rates agreement) would generate lower mechanical royalties for publishers. Now another body, the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) has backed the NMPA’s stance.
Source: Indie publishing body AIMP criticises Spotify bundle strategy
On Monday, IATSE and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers will shift the focus of negotiations to wages, residuals, working conditions and the use of artificial intelligence in production. Those are the thornier issues to hammer out for the union that represents the vast majority of below-the-line workers in TV and film.
Source: IATSE Contract Talks Shift to Toughest Issues: Wages, AI and Residuals