UMG’s earnings call included some interesting nuggets on the company’s AI strategy, including chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge delivering a carefully-tuned message to investors. “I’m very aware that a large swath of the investment community looks at the intersection of AI and media and sees only some of the risks,” he said. “I want to be very clear, we fundamentally disagree with that view. We believe AI represents an unprecedented commercial opportunities for UMG and our artists.
Source: UMG boss sees AI as more than just a risk for media industries
“It’s entirely possible that in two years we’ll have clarity that’s probably good enough in terms of a set of best practices,” estimated Jessica Litman. But she warned it could be longer, “because these cases are so huge, they are happening in dribs and drabs… so it can take a while to establish a trend.” She said it could be as many as 10 more years until these lawsuits are resolved.
The creators of a new technology have always sold it as producing a fundamental transformation of human existence. The radio was touted as bringing “perpetual peace on earth.” Television was supposed to arouse so much empathy for different cultures that it would end war. Cable television would educate the masses and lead to widespread enlightenment. This time, though, the masses have not been won over.