An estimated 5.6% of U.S. search traffic on desktop browsers last month went to an AI-powered large language model like ChatGPT or Perplexity, according to Datos, a market intelligence firm that tracks web users’ behavior. That pales beside the 94.4% that still went to traditional search engines like Alphabet’s Google or Microsoft’s Bing. But the percentage of traffic that went to browser-based AI search has more than doubled since June 2024,
Google is reportedly pursuing AI licensing deals with news publishers
According to Bloomberg, Google is reportedly preparing to launch a “pilot project initially with about 20 national news outlets,” where the participants would license their content for Google’s AI tools. There isn’t much detail beyond the initial report, but it sounds similar to the strategy that OpenAI has employed. Over the past few years, OpenAI has struck licensing deals with major publishers like Hearst, Condé Nast, Vox Media, The Atlantic, and News Corp.
Source: Google is reportedly pursuing AI licensing deals with news publishers
Orfium awarded EU grant to lead research into detection in AI-generated music
This technology could enable proper attribution and compensation for original songwriters, composers and rightsholders, Orfium said. The project comes as the Gen AI music and audiovisual content is expected to grow to€64 billion in 2028 from the current €3 billion, according to data from CISAC.
Source: Orfium awarded EU grant to lead research project into copyright detection in AI-generated music
Concord closes $1.76 billion asset-backed securities transaction to ‘fuel continued growth’
According to a statement released on Tuesday (July 22), Concord is issuing $1.765 billion in bonds via a series of new five-year, seven-year, and ten-year senior notes. The bonds are backed by Concord’s catalog of over 1.3 million music copyrights. The latest bond issuance represents Concord’s fourth securitization offering and is claimed to be “the largest and longest tenured asset-backed term securitization of music rights to date”.
Source: Concord closes $1.76 billion asset-backed securities transaction to ‘fuel continued growth’
Universal Music Group takes step closer to US listing, filing draft registration with SEC
The world’s largest music rights company confirmed in a press release on Monday evening (July 21) that it has “confidentially” submitted a Form F-1 to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, “relating to a proposed public offering in the United States of the company’s ordinary shares held by certain shareholders”. Monday’s press release did not disclose the timing, pricing, or venue of UMG’s proposed US listing.
Source: Universal Music Group takes step closer to US listing, filing draft registration with SEC
UK government reveals streaming reforms – focusing on label commitments
Today’s announcement is of several commitments that aim to improve the income for legacy artists, songwriters and session musicians. For the artists, all three majors have committed to ‘disregarding’ unrecouped balances – advances they haven’t paid off – for artists signed before the start of 2000, with this date rolling forward every year.
Source: UK government reveals streaming reforms – focusing on label commitments
Spotify’s Lax Controls Exposed: The Blaze Foley AI Song Debacle
The modern music streaming world, for all its accessibility, has faced challenges in this brave new world powered by AI. The appearance of an AI-generated song titled “Together” on the official Spotify page of the late country icon Blaze Foley is a glaring example of how Spotify has failed to adequately protect both artists’ legacies and listener trust.
Source: Spotify’s Lax Controls Exposed: The Blaze Foley AI Song Debacle
Senators Introduce Bill To Restrict AI Companies’ Use Of Copyrighted Works
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced legislation on Monday that would restrict AI companies from using copyrighted material in their training models without the consent of the individual owner. The AI Accountability and Personal Data Protection Act also would allow individuals to sue companies that uses their personal data or copyrighted works without their “express, prior consent.”
Blackstone exits consortium for TikTok deal as divest-or-ban deadline looms (report)
Private equity firm Blackstone has pulled out of the investor consortium looking to buy TikTok’s US operation, Reuters reported Friday (July 18), citing a source familiar with the matter. The withdrawal comes as TikTok’s presence in the US remains uncertain, with multiple deadline extensions on the divest-or-ban law. Blackstone had reportedly been slated to take a minority stake in the platform’s US business alongside other consortium members.
Source: Blackstone exits consortium for TikTok deal as divest-or-ban deadline looms (report)
White House Prepares Executive Order Targeting ‘Woke AI’
White House officials are preparing an executive order targeting tech companies with what they see as “woke” artificial-intelligence models, their latest effort to go after diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, people familiar with the matter said. The order would dictate that AI companies getting federal contracts be politically neutral and unbiased in their AI models, an effort to combat what administration officials see as liberal bias in some models, the people said.
Source: White House Prepares Executive Order Targeting ‘Woke AI’