Headlines

American Law Institute’s ‘Copyright Restatement’ Project Faces Growing Opposition

In opposition to the American Law Institute’s (ALI) Copyright Restatement and to highlight its “significant inaccuracies, omissions, and mischaracterizations of copyright law,” the Copyright Restatement Transparency Project (CRTP) has announced that its petition to raise awareness has surpassed 500 signatures. The CRTP was formed by members of the copyright and creative communities, including individuals and organizations that participated in the Copyright Restatement for years but ultimately resigned from the project in its final stages. 

Source: American Law Institute’s ‘Copyright Restatement’ Project Faces Growing Opposition

Global recorded music revenues hit $31.7B in 2025, up 6.4% YoY

Figures released today (March 18) in IFPI’s Global Music Report 2026 show that global recorded music revenues grew by 6.4% YoY in 2025 – an improvement on the 4.7% rate of growth posted in 2024 — marking the global industry’s eleventh consecutive year of growth. Paid subscription streaming revenues increased 8.8% YoY and accounted for more than half — 52.4% — of global revenues. IFPI reports that there are now 837 million users of paid streaming subscription accounts globally.

Source: Global recorded music revenues hit $31.7B in 2025, up 6.4% YoY

Lyor Cohen letter addresses AI integration at YouTube

Lyor Cohen, YouTube‘s Global Head of Music, says the platform’s mission for the year ahead is to “help artists and songwriters harness the power of visual storytelling to build their global audiences and lifelong careers.” The exec made the comments in his first letter to music industry partners of 2026, outlining the platform’s strategic priorities for the year ahead. outlining the platform’s strategic priorities for the year ahead.

Source: Lyor Cohen letter addresses AI integration at YouTube

The dictionary sues OpenAI

Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster have filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging in its complaint that the AI giant has committed “massive copyright infringement.” Britannica, which owns Merriam-Webster, retains the copyright to nearly 100,000 online articles, which have been scraped and used to train OpenAI’s LLMs without permission, the publisher alleges in the lawsuit.

Source: The dictionary sues OpenAI

Is this product ‘human-made’? The race to establish an AI-free logo

Organisations worldwide are racing to develop a universally recognised label for “human-made” products and services as part of the growing backlash against AI use. Declarations like “Proudly Human”, “Human-made”, ‘”No A.I” and “AI-free” are appearing across films, marketing, books and websites. BBC News has counted at least eight different initiatives trying to come up with a label that could get the kind of global recognition that the “Fair Trade” logo has for ethically made products.

Source: Is this product ‘human-made’? The race to establish an AI-free logo

UK Government backtracks on AI and copyright after outcry from major artists

The UK government has backtracked on its position on copyright and AI, stating it must take time to “get this right”. Its original position – allowing AI companies to use copyrighted works to train their models with an opt-out option – received major backlash from the likes of Sir Elton John and Dua Lipa. “We have listened,” Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said on Wednesday, saying the government no longer favours that approach.

Source: UK Government backtracks on AI and copyright after outcry from major artists

As Oscars are awarded: How artificial intelligence is reshaping Hollywood

For companies competing with streaming platforms, this is a way to reduce costs and speed up the launch of new projects. Using AI is important for studios not only from a production perspective but also from a business standpoint. The market often sees such technologies as a signal that a company is improving efficiency, which can boost investor interest and support share prices.

Source: As Oscars are awarded: How artificial intelligence is reshaping Hollywood

Tidal Offers Direct-to-Fan Downloads with a 90/10 Split—In Direct Competition to Bandcamp

Music streaming platform Tidal now allows independent artists to sell digital downloads directly to fans, bypassing the traditional distribution route at a flat 10% fee—and coming directly for Bandcamp’s lunch. Most digital service providers (DSP) pay pennies per stream, but taking a direct-to-fans (D2F) sales approach offers a much more appealing option, especially for smaller or independent artists.

Source: Tidal Offers Direct-to-Fan Downloads with a 90/10 Split—In Direct Competition to Bandcamp

SAG-AFTRA Wraps a Month of Studio Talks With No Deal, Will Resume in June

The two sides have addressed an array of subjects, but the thorniest one — as was the case during the 2023 strike — may be artificial intelligence. SAG-AFTRA is looking to assert some control over the use of “synthetic performers” — digital avatars that bear no resemblance to a real-life actor. [R]eal-life actors gain little or nothing from their use, and also have scant leverage to stop studios from using their performances to train AI systems.

Source: SAG-AFTRA Wraps a Month of Studio Talks With No Deal, Will Resume in June

Quincy Jones estate sells catalog and ancillary rights to HarbourView

HarbourView said that the deal includes Jones’ recorded music and publishing assets, as well as other ancillary rights, including his participation in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. As part of the transaction, HarbourView notes that it will “work in close partnership with the Quincy Jones Estate on go-forward initiatives tied to Jones’ name, image, and likeness”. HarbourView said that “additional announcements and tributes will follow in the coming weeks 

Source: Quincy Jones estate sells catalog and ancillary rights to HarbourView

Get the latest RightsTech news and analysis delivered directly in your inbox every week
We respect your privacy.