Jonathan Barnett, professor at the University of Southern California’s Gould School of Law and author of The Big Steal: Ideology, Interest, and the Undoing of Intellectual Property, warned that publishers and other IP businesses need to learn from the lessons of the past—namely, the losses they suffered when Google successfully bet that it could scrape all content available on the internet for free in developing Google Books, a move that a court determined was protected by the fair use doctrine.
Technology
AI Adoption Projected to Boost Media Industry Revenue by 10%
A new report from Ernst & Young suggests that artificial intelligence could bring measurable financial benefits to the media and entertainment industry, predicting a 10% increase in revenue and a 15% decrease in operational costs for companies that adopt the technology strategically. With content demands growing across streaming, digital platforms, and global markets, the findings come at a moment when studios are seeking ways to scale output without scaling overhead.
Source: AI Adoption Projected to Boost Media Industry Revenue by 10% — AI In Hollywood
WMG launches Pulse app for artists to track streams, earnings, and fan engagement
Warner Music Group has launched a new app called WMG Pulse, described as a “powerful new platform that puts clear, meaningful insights into the hands of artists and songwriters”. The app lets WMG artists, songwriters, their managers, and teams access real-time information about streaming performance, fan engagement, and earnings across various platforms.
Downtown Licenses Content to Audius Blockchain Platform
The deal encompasses both the recording and publishing side of Downtown’s business, and paves the way for millions of licensed recordings from Downtown’s extensive catalog to be added to Audius. It also unlocks a new way for Downtown’s artists and labels to directly connect with their fans and control how their music is monetized beyond the typical streaming model.
Source: Downtown Licenses Content to Audius Blockchain Platform
SAG-AFTRA Chief Lays Out AI Protections It Will Be Looking For In Next Studio Contract
Artificial intelligence was a major factor in the actors strike of 2023 and the burgeoning technology will remain a key element in next year’s negotiations. Speaking on a Deadline-moderated panel at SeriesFest in Denver, Crabtree-Ireland, who is National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator at SAG-AFTRA, revealed that the guild would be “starting our preparations for negotiations this fall.” He said that he believes that AI will be an important factor in these talks.
Source: SAG-AFTRA Chief Lays Out What AI Protections It Will Be Looking For In Next Studio Contract
Anthropic CEO Admits We Have No Idea How AI Works
In an essay published to his personal website, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei announced plans to create a robust “MRI on AI” within the next decade. “When a generative AI system does something, like summarize a financial document, we have no idea, at a specific or precise level, why it makes the choices it does — why it chooses certain words over others, or why it occasionally makes a mistake despite usually being accurate,” the Anthropic CEO admitted.
Freepik releases an ‘open’ AI image generator trained on licensed data
Freepik, the online graphic design platform, unveiled a new “open” AI image model on Tuesday that the company says was trained exclusively on commercially licensed, “safe-for-work” images. The model, called F Lite, contains around 10 billion parameters — parameters being the internal components that make up the model. F Lite joins a small and growing collection of generative AI models trained on licensed data.
Source: Freepik releases an ‘open’ AI image generator trained on licensed data | TechCrunch
Udio and Audible Magic team up to tackle rights management in AI-generated music
Udio, an AI music startup facing ongoing litigation from major record labels alongside its competitor Suno, has struck a new partnership with content identification platform Audible Magic. The move creates what the companies call a “content control pipeline” that allows streaming services and distributors to identify AI-generated tracks from Udio’s platform and apply appropriate licensing rules.
Source: Udio and Audible Magic team up to tackle rights management in AI-generated music
BeatStars Partners With Sureel to Provide AI Training Opt-Outs for Creators
To date, AI music companies in the United States are not required to honor opt-outs, but through this partnership, Sureel and Beatstars, the world’s largest music marketplace, hope to create clarity for AI music companies that are wishing to avoid legal and reputational risks and create a digital ledger to keep track of beatmakers’ wishes regarding AI training.
Source: BeatStars Partners With Sureel to Provide AI Training Opt-Outs for Creators
Public comments to White House on AI policy touch on copyright, tariffs
A number of commenters asserted that AI is exploitative, in a word, trained on the works of creatives who aren’t compensated for their involuntary contributions, and petitioned the Trump administration to strengthen copyright regulation. On the opposing side, commenters such as VC firm Andreessen Horowitz accused rightsholders of putting up roadblocks to AI development.
Source: Public comments to White House on AI policy touch on copyright, tariffs | TechCrunch