Vocalist AI uses algorithms and high-speed GPU processing to achieve vocal transformations. Users simply upload a vocal recording, whether it’s a quick iPhone note or a polished studio track, and then select from a curated library of voice models. These models include Beyoncé, Avicii, Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, and Lizzo.
Source: Vocalist AI unveils vocal cloning platform that pays royalties to voice models
SAG-AFTRA, the union representing Hollywood actors, is pushing for legislation that would require detailed consent for the use of “digital replicas.” In a separate bill, the union also wants to prevent studios from putting dead performers in movies without the consent of their heirs. Underscoring the contentiousness around AI, the Motion Picture Association has come out against the digital replicas bill.
Source: SAG-AFTRA Seeks to Write AI Protections Into California Law
Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) introduced new legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday (April 9) which, if passed, would require AI companies to disclose which copyrighted works were used to train their models, or face a financial penalty. Called the Generative AI Copyright Disclosure Act, the new bill would apply to both new models and retroactively to previously released and used generative AI systems.
Source: New Federal Bill Could Require Disclosure of Songs Used in AI Training
An initiative led by the International Confederation of Music Publishers (ICMP), representing 90%of the world’s published music, has launched a new online resource called RightsAndAI.com, where rightsholders can reserve their rights against unlicensed exploitation of their works. The centralized platform seeks to send a clear message to AI firms engaging in “unlicensed exploitation.”
Source: Major music companies fight back against unlicensed AI in new ICMP-led initiative
OpenAI, Google and Meta ignored corporate policies, altered their own rules and discussed skirting copyright law as they sought online information to train their newest artificial intelligence systems. The companies’ actions illustrate how online information — news stories, fictional works, message board posts, Wikipedia articles, computer programs, photos, podcasts and movie clips — has increasingly become the lifeblood of the booming A.I. industry.
Source: How Tech Giants Cut Corners to Harvest Data for A.I.
Apple has struck a deal to license millions of images from Shutterstock in order to train its AI models. Other tech companies have obtained similar deals from Shutterstock to help develop visual AI engines, including Google, Meta, and Amazon. News of Apple’s deal comes well after its signing in late 2022, and is expected to cost Apple up to $50 million.
Source: Apple to license images from Shutterstock to train AI models
These updates are set to empower developers with unprecedented control over AI model fine-tuning, while also offering new avenues for constructing custom models tailored to specific business needs. As OpenAI states in a blog post announcing the new API updates: “We believe that in the future, the vast majority of organizations will develop customized models that are personalized to their industry, business, or use case.”
The AI books could make studying language patterns harder. 404Media reports Google Books included several books that AI could have written. The publication searched Google Books with the term “as of my last knowledge update,” a common phrase chatbots like ChatGPT use. You can search Google Books for specific sentences or terms, and it will normally send back written works with those phrases.
Source: Google Books reportedly indexing bad AI-written works
AI is high on the agenda as IATSE looks to set a new three-year contract with Hollywood’s major studios and streamers before the July 31 expiration of its current deal. Like the other unions that have struck new contracts over the past year — the WGA, SAG-AFTRA, the Directors Guild of America and the American Federation of Musicians — IATSE is seeking “guardrails” on AI use.
Source: IATSE Sees Fears and Promise of Artificial Intelligence: ‘We Want the Spoils’
On Tuesday, the Artist Rights Alliance (ARA) announced an open letter critical of AI signed by over 200 musical artists, including Pearl Jam, Nicki Minaj, Billie Eilish, Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, and the estate of Frank Sinatra. In the letter, the artists call on AI developers, technology companies, platforms, and digital music services to stop using AI to “infringe upon and devalue the rights of human artists.”
Source: Billie Eilish, Pearl Jam, 200 artists say AI poses existential threat to their livelihoods