While AI can produce generic music, many critics argue that it lacks the originality of human-created works. Merlin Connect seeks to address this by providing emerging tech platforms with access to a vast library of “high-quality” music from independent artists, the organization said Wednesday (June 5).
Source: Merlin launches ‘Merlin Connect’ to provide tech platforms with licensed indie music
Stability AI is perhaps best known for its stable diffusion text-to-image generation AI technology, but that’s only one part of the company’s broader portfolio, which includes multiple models for code, text and audio. In Sept. 2023, Stability AI first publicly launched Stable Audio, as a text-to-audio generative AI tool. Stable Audio 2.0 was released on April 3 bringing more clarity and length to the generated audio.
Source: Stability AI debuts new Stable Audio Open for sound design
YouTube’s latest Transparency Report shows that fewer copyright holders used the Content ID system to protect their works. Despite the modest decline, the claim volume continues to grow. For the first time, the number of processed claims exceeded one billion in the six-month reporting period.
Source: YouTube Processed a Billion Content ID Copyright Claims in Six Months * TorrentFreak
The recent wave of deals with OpenAI means publishers are getting compensated for their content being used to feed and train large language models (LLMs). This has been a major sticking point for publishers as these large tech companies have scraped their content without permission or payment. But the agreements are also getting a fair amount of criticism. Compensation for use of content is good for a publisher, but are they getting paid enough?
Canada’s Online Streaming Act requires streamers to contribute 5% of their annual revenue to a number of programs designed to aid Canadian content creators. “We are deeply concerned with today’s decision to impose a discriminatory tax on music streaming services that are already making significant contributions to Canadian artists and culture,” Graham Davies, President and CEO of the Digital Media Association, said in a statement.
Composers and songwriters are looking to receive an additional $8 million (£6 million) in royalties from online services each year from PRS for Music. CEO Andrea Czapary Martin announced a 20% reduction in the administration rate from multi-territory online (MTOL) royalties’ collection — the result of the collective management organization surpassing its targets and delivering historic distributions and revenues.
Source: PRS for Music Squeezes Out Another $8 Million for Songwriters
Google’s pivot to artificial intelligence has news publishers freaking out—and running to the government. “Agency intervention is necessary to stop the existential threat Google poses to original content creators,” the News/Media Alliance wrote in a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). It asked the agencies to use antitrust authority “to stop Google’s latest expansion of AI Overviews.”
Source: News publishers try to sic the government on Google AI
Broadcast news production company ITN has become the first UK news organization to announce a deal seeking to safeguard its archive from the threat of AI. The deal with tech company Open Origins will see every one of ITN‘s more than a million video clips of news footage validated and secured using blockchain technology.
Source: ITN signs deal to protect video archive from AI and license content
In the publicly released elements of the Audio Publishers Association‘s proprietary annual consumer survey, the organization today (June 3) has reported that audiobook revenue in the United States grew 9 percent in 2023 to US$2 billion. While this represents a dollar valuation above the $1.8 billion figure of last year’s report issued on June 1, 2023, the growth rate appears to have slowed a bit from the previous survey’s 10 percent.
Source: Audio Publishers Association Survey: 9-Percent Growth
HSF confirmed the slightly increased bid via a formal release today, a little over two weeks after Concord officially bowed out of the acquisition battle. This high-stakes competition for the entirety of Hipgnosis Songs Fund – encompassing the rights to the work of Shakira, Barry Manilow, Timbaland, and a number of others – seemingly marks the final chapter in the entity’s turbulent story.
Source: Blackstone Ups Hipgnosis Songs Fund Offer to $1.31 Per Share