Will.I.Am Calls For Balanced AI Regulation As Music Artists Demand Protection From Technology: 'Over-Regulating, Over-Governance Will Stop Innovation'

Renowned musician and tech entrepreneur William Adams, professionally known as Will.i.am, recently expressed concerns that over-regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) could potentially hinder innovation.

What Happened: In a conversation with Brian Sullivan on “Last Call” by CNBC on Thursday, Will.i.am highlighted the significance of safeguarding intellectual property. The founder and CEO of Focus Your Ideas (FYI), a productivity tool for creatives, cautioned, “Over-regulating, over-governance will stop innovation.”

He further elaborated that the current convergence of technology and creativity necessitates innovative use of such technology. He observed that the recording industry has seen considerable changes over time, redefining the concept of a “song”.

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Why It Matters: Will.i.am’s remarks come amidst an escalating debate on AI regulation. His perspective emphasizes the need to strike a balance between promoting innovation and ensuring the ethical application of technology. This conversation is particularly relevant in light of recent events in the music industry.

In April, over 200 artists including Billie Eilish and Katy Perry, called for AI to respect music rights. This followed a copyright infringement lawsuit by Universal Music Group NV (UMGNF), Concord and ABKCO against AI startup, Anthropic, in October 2023.

Moreover, the advent of tools like Adobe’s Project Music GenAI Control which uses AI to generate music from text prompts, further underscores the need for balanced regulation in this rapidly evolving field.

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