AI generating music, by its very nature, challenges the conventional frameworks of copyright and creativity. Theories and solutions are discussed all the time, but meaningful progress has yet to be made. In the meantime, platforms like Suno and Udio continuing to generate thousands of realistic-sounding songs per day.
This year, that might change. The introduction of the Generative AI Copyright Disclosure Act of 2024, alongside unified declarations from major music publishers and proactive legislative scrutiny, shows that significant effort from the industry and lawmakers may be around the corner. Emerging just this week, these three proclamations are reviewing to get a sensible temperature check on where AI and the music industry currently sit.
Our hope is to show that allowing the growth of AI models, protecting the creativity of musicians, and setting up proper legal protection of intellectual property is a balancing act that just might be possible.
What we’re looking at:
- Generative AI Copyright Disclosure Act of 2024: Newly proposed legislation. Mandates disclosure of copyrighted works used in AI systems' training datasets to the Copyright Register. Sets fines for non-compliance. Read the full proposal.
- House Judiciary Committee on AI and IP: An April 10, 2024 meeting focused on AI's implications for intellectual property, signaling legislative attention to AI's creative potential and copyright challenges. Watch the meeting here.
- Music Publishers' Declaration: Major publishers (UMPG, Sony, WMG, Concord, others) assert rights in the AI domain, indicating an industry-wide push for copyright protection in AI-generated content. Read the full declaration.