Lyria, Google’s text-to-music model, is now available in preview for select customers, and the company’s Veo 2 video creation model has been enhanced with new editing and visual effects customization options. The company has also launched a voice-cloning feature powered by Chirp 3, Google’s audio understanding model, for “allow-listed” users.
Source: Google’s enterprise cloud gets a music-generating AI model | TechCrunch
This past weekend in China, Warner Bros. and Legendary’s “A Minecraft Movie” conquered the box office and broke the hegemony of local blockbuster “Ne Zha 2” which grossed $2.11 billion after a 10-week reign. But it might be a short-lived triumph thanks to U.S. President Donald Trump‘s tariffs.
Source: Could Trump’s Tariffs Lead to China Banning Hollywood Films?
The European Commission is finalizing a plan to make its artificial intelligence rules more palatable to companies, as they scramble to adapt to American tariffs that have sent shockwaves through the global economy. The EU executive will launch a new “AI Continent” plan on Wednesday. According to an undated draft of the plan, the executive wants to “streamline” rules and get rid of “obstacles” that it feels are slowing companies in Europe down in competing with the U.S. and China.
Source: Europe prepares AI charm offensive as industry trembles from tariff shocks
Financial highlights from the report include a 29% YoY jump in revenues, to 1.921 billion Swedish kronor, or USD $181.62 million at the average exchange rate for 2024. Epidemic’s adjusted EBITDA, meanwhile, soared 150% YoY to SEK 147 million ($13.9 million), while unadjusted EBITDA increased 24-fold to SEK 107 million ($10.13 million).
Source: Epidemic Sound’s revenues jumped 29% to $181.6m in 2024, as EBITDA soared 150% YoY to $13.9m
After inching oh-so-close to a deal to secure TikTok in the US, China apparently pressed hard pause on the arrangement following Trump’s tariff slap. So what does that mean for the music industry? If you love uncertainty, this one’s for you. Trump is now extending the ban by another 75 days, though a hard clock is now ticking on a deal that was apparently 99% done. Apple is seeking White House assurance that the app can remain on its App Store.
Source: And After All That, TikTok Could Still Go ‘Poof’ – Digital Music News
European Union regulators are preparing major penalties against Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, for breaking a landmark law to combat illicit content and disinformation, said four people with knowledge of the plans, a move that is likely to ratchet up tensions with the United States by targeting one of President Trump’s closest advisers.
Source: Opinion – AI companies are commiting mass theft and hiding behind the language of ‘training’
A report this week by CMU claimed that Suno’s ReMi lyrics model was “spitting out entire sets of lyrics to well-known songs in response to simple prompts”, including works by Eagles, Midnight Oil and Bush. Now songwriters body The Ivors Academy has called for Suno to remove ReMi from its platform due to those claims. “Suno’s new tool is the latest example of unethical AI firms stealing the work, art and livelihoods of lyricists, songwriters and composers,” said CEO Roberto Neri.
Source: Ivors Academy slams Suno over lyrics-regurgitation claims
Creating and sharing deceptive media made with artificial intelligence is now a crime in New Jersey and open to lawsuits under a new state law. Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation Wednesday making the creation and dissemination of so-called deceptive deepfake media a crime punishable by up to five years in prison, and establishing a basis for lawsuits against perpetrators.
Source: Creating and sharing deceptive AI-generated media is now a crime in New Jersey
OpenAI has published its response to the government’s consultation on the plans, and it calls for “a broad text and data mining exception” minus the opt-out aspect. Why? OpenAI cites the way the European Union’s AI legislation works, criticising it for having “created uncertainty about what opt-out methods are workable and valid, causing uncertainty for both AI companies and rightsholders”.
Source: OpenAI and Google don’t like UK’s ‘opt out’ AI training plans either