Amid the mounting concerns over OpenAI’s Sora 2 in the entertainment industry, the estates of Judy Garland, Jimmy Stewart, Burt Reynolds and more late celebrities are being safeguarded in a new likeness and AI protection deal between deepfake detection firm Loti AI and IP management firm CMG Worldwide. Under the pact, Loti AI’s advanced technology and services will serve to protect CMG’s portfolio of personalities and estates from unauthorized digital use and manipulation
UMG’s AI policy: ‘We will NOT license AI models that use an artist’s voice without consent.’
Universal Music Group Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge has sent a comprehensive memo to UMG staff outlining the company’s strategy for generative AI partnerships and product development. Grainge draws a firm line on certain AI applications. “To be clear—and this is very important—we will NOT license any model that uses an artist’s voice or generates new songs which incorporate an artist’s existing songs without their consent,” he writes.
How Movies Increasingly Drive Streaming Revenue
For years, the narrative has been that movies, in contrast to TV series, were in decline. But there’s new data that paints a different picture. Streaming services are, in fact, relying more than ever on films to keep their growth engines humming. A Parrot Analytics analysis of thousands of titles across Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Netflix, and Max finds that movies deliver disproportionately high engagement relative to the volume of content hours they represent.
Piracy claims can’t be added to music publishers’ case against Anthropic, says Judge
According to a court filing, US District Judge Eumi Lee last week (October 8) denied a motion by Universal Music Publishing Group, Concord Music and ABKCO Music to amend their 2023 complaint. Bloomberg Law reported, citing a hearing in San Jose, that Judge Lee found the amendment to be inappropriate because the music publishers failed to investigate the piracy allegations based on Anthropic’s downloading of works.
Source: Piracy claims can’t be added to music publishers’ copyright case against Anthropic, says Judge
Denmark Leads EU Push to Copyright Faces in Fight Against Deepfakes
Denmark wants to be at the forefront of a legal shift, both nationally and across the European Union. It began in June with the proposed amendments to its Copyright Act, which would grant individuals copyright over their own likenesses. This move challenges traditional legal frameworks, aiming to empower individuals against the misuse of their digital identities, particularly in the context of deepfakes.
Source: Denmark Leads EU Push to Copyright Faces in Fight Against Deepfakes | TechPolicy.Press
OpenAI Investor Vinod Khosla Says Hollywood ‘Tunnel Vision’ Is Missing the Point of Sora
Venture capitalist Vinod Khosla, one of OpenAI’s earliest and loudest backers, says Hollywood’s backlash to Sora is history repeating itself. Speaking after the release of Sora 2, OpenAI’s upgraded video generator that hit the top of Apple’s download charts within a week, Khosla framed the controversy in familiar terms: every medium starts messy before it scales.
SAG-AFTRA’s Sean Astin Comes Out Swinging Against Sora
SAG-AFTRA has followed UTA , CAA and the MPA in sounding the alarm at Sora 2 , the newest version of Open AI’s video-generating app. It’s the latest, and most threatening to Hollywood, version of Sora. SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin and National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland insisted in a joint statement on Thursday that art is about connection and performance, not simulation.
Source: SAG-AFTRA’s Sean Astin Comes Out Swinging Against Sora, Politicians, The Media & AI Anthropomorphism
Hollywood-AI battle deepens, as OpenAI and studios clash over copyrights and consent
Source: Hollywood-AI battle deepens, as OpenAI and studios clash over copyrights and consent
Hollywood, Bollywood unite to push India for stronger copyright laws against AI use
As artificial intelligence reshapes the creative economy, Hollywood and Bollywood are aligning like never before. Hollywood’s MPA and the Producers Guild of India are lobbying an Indian government panel for stricter copyright protections to stop AI firms from using films and shows for training models. They’re pushing for a licensing regime over blanket AI exemptions.
Source: Hollywood, Bollywood unite to push India for stronger copyright laws against AI use
AudioShake raises $14m for AI tech that can turn any audio file into stems
AI audio company AudioShake says it has raised $14 million in a Series A funding round. AudioShake has developed an AI-driven technology that can take any audio file and break apart its components into stems, meaning separate tracks for vocals, individual music instruments, sound effects and the like. The company also says it has “grown rapidly” over the past year, signing more than 40 enterprise contracts, and it has seen 400% year-over-year revenue growth, though it did not specify a number
Source: AudioShake raises $14m for AI tech that can turn any audio file into stems