Don't Train AI On Our Content And Artists, Sony Warns AI Companies

Sony Group Corp's SONY Sony Music Group, one of the world's largest record labels, has issued a stark warning to artificial intelligence companies and music streaming services.

Sony Music Publishing (SMP) and Sony Music Entertainment (SME), on behalf of themselves and their wholly owned or controlled affiliates, said they prohibit and opt out of any text or data mining, web scraping or similar reproductions, extractions or uses of any SME and SMP content for any purposes, including in relation to training, developing or commercializing any AI system.

The label, representing artists like Lil Nas X and Celine Dion, has directed over 700 companies to refrain from using its content without explicit authorization.

Sony aims to safeguard its intellectual property, including album art, metadata, compositions, and lyrics, from being exploited to train AI models. 

Unauthorized usage of their content for AI development denies both the company and its artists control and rightful compensation, reported Bloomberg.

With the rise of generative AI, producing content from text to music has become a contentious issue. Last year, Hollywood faced strikes from actors and writers concerned about AI's impact on their craft. 

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Now, startups are creating AI-generated music, raising alarms about artist livelihoods and straining relationships with streaming platforms.

Sony, like others in the music industry, is navigating the challenge of embracing new technology while protecting artist rights and profits. 

"We support artists and songwriters taking the lead in embracing new technologies in support of their art," Sony stated. "However, that innovation must ensure that songwriters' and recording artists' rights, including copyrights, are respected."

Universal Music Group NV UMGNF has been notably vocal, even threatening to remove its entire catalog from TikTok and suing AI startup Anthropic for using lyrics without permission. 

Recently, Universal and TikTok resolved their dispute, agreeing to collaborate on AI development that protects human artistry and ensures fair economics for artists.

Globally, especially in the European Union, copyright owners are encouraged to declare their content off-limits for AI training without proper licenses. 

In the U.S., the music industry backs federal legislation to protect artists' voices and images from unauthorized AI use. In April, Warner Music Group Corp WMG CEO Robert Kyncl supported the "NO FAKES" Act, advocating for a robust free-market licensing system and strong legal protections for name, likeness, and voice rights.

Price Action: SONY shares are trading lower by 0.01% at $83.48 at the last check Thursday.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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