Yazılar

Universal and Warner Music Close to Striking Landmark AI Licensing Deals

/in /tarafından

Universal Music Group (UMG) and Warner Music Group (WMG) are reportedly on the verge of signing major artificial intelligence licensing agreements that could reshape how music is used and monetized in the AI era, according to a Financial Times report published Thursday.

Sources familiar with the discussions said that both music giants could finalize their deals within weeks, as they negotiate with a mix of AI start-ups and major tech companies.

Among the start-ups in talks are ElevenLabs, Stability AI, Suno, Udio, and Klay Vision. The labels are also in advanced discussions with industry heavyweights such as Alphabet’s Google and Spotify, according to the report.

Neither Universal, Warner, Google, nor Spotify immediately responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.

TOWARD A NEW MUSIC-AI BUSINESS MODEL

The potential deals represent a pivotal moment for the music industry, which has long battled unauthorized AI-generated content and the use of copyrighted works to train generative models. If completed, the agreements would establish a formal licensing framework allowing AI firms to access and use songs legally — for both music generation and AI model training.

Negotiations have reportedly focused on creating a payment system modeled after music streaming royalties, where every use or AI-generated playback of a song would trigger a micropayment to rights holders.

LEGAL AND ETHICAL PRESSURES ON AI FIRMS

The rise of generative AI has fueled a surge in lawsuits from artists and rights holders, accusing companies of using copyrighted material without consent or compensation. These potential licensing deals could help defuse legal tensions while providing a new revenue stream for record labels.

AI companies like ElevenLabs and Suno have been pushing the boundaries of voice synthesis and music generation, raising ethical questions about authorship and originality. By formalizing partnerships with major labels, these firms could legitimize AI-created music and ensure artists receive compensation.

A LANDMARK SHIFT FOR THE INDUSTRY

If finalized, these agreements would mark the first large-scale AI licensing model in the global music industry — a step that could influence how other creative sectors handle the intersection between AI and copyright.

Music industry observers say such deals could become a template for balancing innovation with intellectual property protection, ensuring that the creative ecosystem adapts rather than resists AI’s growing influence.

OpenAI Launches “Sora” — an AI Video App That Can Generate Clips from Copyrighted Material

/in /tarafından

OpenAI has unveiled Sora, a new AI-powered video creation app that allows users to generate and share short videos — including those derived from copyrighted content — directly to a built-in social media-style feed. The app, which represents OpenAI’s most ambitious push yet into generative video, is expected to raise new tensions across the entertainment industry.

According to the company, copyright holders such as movie and television studios must actively opt out if they do not wish to have their content appear in the app’s video feed. OpenAI described this as a continuation of its previous opt-out policy used for AI image generation, where creators must explicitly request the exclusion of their work from model training or public feeds.

The move is already sparking debate in Hollywood. People familiar with the matter said that Disney has opted out, and other major studios are currently in talks with OpenAI over the implications of Sora’s copyright framework.

Earlier this year, OpenAI urged the Trump administration to formally classify the use of copyrighted material for AI training as “fair use” under U.S. law — a position it argued was essential for national competitiveness and security, warning that U.S. AI firms could fall behind Chinese rivals without legal clarity.

Beyond copyright issues, OpenAI said Sora includes robust safeguards to prevent the misuse of personal likenesses and public figures. Users cannot generate videos of other people unless those individuals upload an AI “liveness check” — a verification process requiring users to move their heads and recite random numbers — to confirm consent.

Sora videos can be up to 10 seconds long and feature a new “Cameo” function, allowing users to create lifelike digital doubles of themselves and insert them into AI-generated scenes. The company says these videos are intended for creative experimentation and entertainment, with built-in transparency markers indicating AI generation.

Market analysts view the Sora app as a direct challenge to existing short-video giants such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. Morgan Stanley analyst Brian Nowak noted that the platform’s combination of AI creativity and social-sharing features positions OpenAI “in the business of competing for attention and reshaping user behavior.”

As Hollywood, regulators, and AI companies continue to clash over intellectual property and deepfake laws, Sora’s launch could set a major precedent for how AI-generated audiovisual content will be treated under future copyright and media frameworks.

Sweden Introduces World’s First AI Music Licence to Protect Songwriters

/in /tarafından

Sweden’s music rights organisation STIM has launched a new licence that allows AI companies to legally train on copyrighted songs while ensuring that songwriters, composers, and publishers receive royalties. The move addresses growing disputes between creators and tech firms over the unauthorized use of copyrighted works in AI training.

STIM, which represents over 100,000 music creators, said the licence is designed to strike a balance between technological innovation and fair compensation.

How the licence works

  • AI firms can train their systems on copyrighted songs under the licence.

  • Creators receive royalties for the use of their works.

  • The licence includes mandatory tracking technology to monitor AI-generated outputs and ensure transparent payments.

Why it matters

  • The International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC) warns that generative AI could reduce music creators’ income by up to 24% by 2028.

  • CISAC also projects that AI-generated music outputs could reach $17 billion annually by 2028, underscoring the economic stakes.

  • STIM’s acting CEO Lina Heyman said:

    “We show that it is possible to embrace disruption without undermining human creativity. This is not just a commercial initiative but a blueprint for fair compensation and legal certainty for AI firms.”

First adopter: Songfox

Stockholm-based startup Songfox is the first to operate under the new licence. The company allows users to create AI-generated songs and covers legally, with royalties flowing back to original creators.

Sweden’s leadership in digital music

Sweden has a history of setting industry standards in the digital music space, having previously played a central role in shaping platforms like Spotify and TikTok. The AI music licence could similarly become a global benchmark for balancing innovation and rights protection.