While the big AI companies are delving into legal gray areas trying to find new sources of data for their Large Language Models, the situation for website operators and publishers is much more black and white. Traffic to websites is drying up — and a full-on drought could be about to hit, as search engines morph into generative AI chatbots.
Source: SEO Implications of Search Engines Morphing Into AI Chatbots
The contract the Guild secured in September set a historic precedent: It is up to the writers whether and how they use generative AI as a tool to assist and complement—not replace—them. Ultimately, if generative AI is used, the contract stipulates that writers get full credit and compensation. The victory was important for writers, but its implications reverberate far beyond Hollywood.
For those who enjoy high-stakes showdowns between major media companies and tech giants, Universal Music Group vs. TikTok has been action-packed. But you might need a fresh bowl of popcorn for what’s next. According to multiple sources leaking details to Digital Music News, UMG has been flooding TikTok with DMCA takedown notices following its stern content removals in late January. But that may be a prelude to more serious legal action in the coming weeks.
Source: Universal Music Group Considering Legal Action Against TikTok
There’s a problem with leading artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude: We don’t really know how smart they are. That’s because, unlike companies that make cars or drugs or baby formula, A.I. companies aren’t required to submit their products for testing before releasing them to the public. There’s no Good Housekeeping seal for A.I. chatbots.
Source: A.I. Has a Measurement Problem
So far, almost all contentious AI-generated images have been debunked within hours, mostly because of the power of social media to quickly crowdsource errors in these photos that are often otherwise imperceptible. Big Tech companies and independent fact-checkers, too, have prioritized finding and removing such harmful politically motivated falsehoods. But audio remains uncharted territory.
Source: Spot the deepfake: The AI tools undermining our own eyes and ears
At a recent meeting with record label executives ahead of the debut of “The Tortured Poets Department,” Swift’s camp shared plans to promote the new album on platforms including TikTok, according to people familiar with the matter. Label executives were surprised. Months earlier, the label had pulled from TikTok a trove of Swift’s songs like “Cruel Summer” and “Shake It Off,” as well as works by its other artists.
This upgraded version enables the artificial intelligence (AI) tool to engage in more natural conversations. OpenAI said that the latest model, “gpt-4-turbo-2024-04-09,” boasts writing, math, logical reasoning and coding enhancements, along with an updated knowledge base. However, this update could worsen the ongoing challenge of writers sounding like AI despite having written the articles themselves.
Source: OpenAI makes ChatGPT ‘less verbose,’ blurring writer-AI distinction
According to the announcement from UK-headquartered Cutting Edge today (April 15), the new funds will be used for a combination of “corporate purposes” and the acquisition of music rights across the film, TV, theatre, gaming, and wellness spaces. Cutting Edge said it has already identified a “circa USD $1.5 billion pipeline” of potential investments.
Source: Cutting Edge Group secures $500m to fund music rights acquisitions
We ought to heed the warning that technology evolves in uncertain ways. However, there is one class of AI risk that is generally knowable in advance. These are risks stemming from misalignment between a company’s economic incentives to profit from its proprietary AI model in a particular way and society’s interests in how the AI model should be monetised and deployed.
Source: To understand the risks posed by AI, follow the money
Though it still requires ratification by SAG-AFTRA members, the deal is a significant development for recording artists as it establishes safeguards for what the union calls “ethical and responsible treatment” in the use of artificial intelligence technology. The deal requires “clear and conspicuous consent” for the use of an artist’s voice in AI-generated content, along with minimum compensation levels, and details of the intended use of the AI replica.
Source: SAG-AFTRA strikes new deal with major labels on sound recordings, including protections for AI use