Artificial Intelligence - CMU | the music business explained

UK government needs to urgently address creator concerns over AI, say two new studies

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Artificial Intelligence • 2 min read

UK government needs to urgently address creator concerns over AI, say two new studies

PRS and ISM have both published new studies on creator concerns around generative AI, seeking to put pressure on the UK government as ministers prepare to set out their long-awaited plans regarding AI and copyright. The government must ensure creator livelihoods “are protected”, PRS says…

Chris Cooke • 30 Jan 2026

Music publishers file new Anthropic lawsuit, adding in piracy claims and $3 billion mega-damages

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Anthropic • 3 min read

Music publishers file new Anthropic lawsuit, adding in piracy claims and $3 billion mega-damages

Last year a US court declined to allow music publishers that are suing AI company Anthropic to add extra piracy claims to their lawsuit. Knowing those claims strengthen their case, given recent legal precedent, the publishers have now filed a brand new lawsuit, that also seeks $3 billion in damages…

Chris Cooke • 29 Jan 2026

Hundreds of US creators tell big tech: “stealing isn’t innovation”

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Artificial Intelligence • 2 min read

Hundreds of US creators tell big tech: “stealing isn’t innovation”

The Human Artistry Campaign has rallied hundreds of American creators to back a new declaration on AI. Noting that some tech firms are now licensing content when training AI models, rather than using existing works without permission, the declaration calls on the entire AI sector to follow that lead…

Chris Cooke • 23 Jan 2026

AI music creation platform Udio signs deal with indie label licensing body Merlin

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Udio • 2 min read

AI music creation platform Udio signs deal with indie label licensing body Merlin

Udio has announced a licensing deal with Merlin, which means many indie labels and distributors will now be able to participate in the relaunch of the AI platform as an industry-endorsed service. Merlin says the deal shows it is “committed to participating in shaping the opportunities AI promises”…

Chris Cooke • 20 Jan 2026

Music and AI: 2025’s developments that will shape 2026’s disputes

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Artificial Intelligence • 12 min read

Music and AI: 2025’s developments that will shape 2026’s disputes

AI will remain a major talking point in the music industry throughout 2026. Pretty much all the big copyright questions and disputes relating to generative AI remain unanswered and unresolved. However, as major labels sign a flurry of AI deals, future disputes are likely to be within the industry…

Chris Cooke • 12 Jan 2026

UK government must rule out new AI copyright exception after “overwhelming” consensus in consultation

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Artificial Intelligence • 3 min read

UK government must rule out new AI copyright exception after “overwhelming” consensus in consultation

The UK government has published an update on its consultation on copyright and AI, revealing that 88% of respondents said AI companies should be forced to get licences before making use of existing works. Ed Newton-Rex says ministers should now formally abandon plans for a new AI copyright exception…

Chris Cooke • 15 Dec 2025

Indie publishers make demands of collecting societies as they start to negotiate AI deals

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Independent Music Publishers Forum (IMPF) • 3 min read

Indie publishers make demands of collecting societies as they start to negotiate AI deals

Indie music publishers are becoming more vocal about AI licensing as the majors start to announce their big AI deals. With collecting societies set to do the deal-making for many song repertories, the IMPF has distributed key principles that it says those societies should adopt when doing the deals…

Chris Cooke • 11 Dec 2025

EU report says statutory licensing is the best way to balance copyright and AI

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Artificial Intelligence • 3 min read

EU report says statutory licensing is the best way to balance copyright and AI

A report on copyright and AI, commissioned by the European Parliament’s Legal Affairs Committee, concludes that the best approach to balance the interests of AI firms and rightsholders would be a statutory licence for AI training, something neither big tech nor rights owners are likely to support…

Chris Cooke • 09 Dec 2025

After King Gizzard boycotted Spotify, tracks by an AI-clone of the band started streaming

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King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard • 2 min read

After King Gizzard boycotted Spotify, tracks by an AI-clone of the band started streaming

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard are among the artists boycotting Spotify, though that didn’t stop AI-generated covers of their songs appearing under the artist name King Lizard Wizard. Those have now been removed, but have prompted more debate over how streaming services deal with AI clones…

Chris Cooke • 09 Dec 2025

Indie publisher trade body says members should reject AI deals that do not value songs properly

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Independent Music Publishers Forum (IMPF) • 2 min read

Indie publisher trade body says members should reject AI deals that do not value songs properly

The major labels’ big deals with Suno and Udio have posed a number of important questions for the wider music community - including how AI income will be shared between the song rights and the recording rights. IMPF has now joined ECSA in demanding that the two copyrights are valued equally…

Chris Cooke • 04 Dec 2025

Stream-ripper Yout says Suno and Udio have criticism “precisely right” over ruling in legal battle with major labels

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Suno • 2 min read

Stream-ripper Yout says Suno and Udio have criticism “precisely right” over ruling in legal battle with major labels

Suno and Udio recently sought to intervene in the major labels’ legal dispute with stream-ripper Yout, because a ruling in that case impacts on their own legal battles with the majors. Yout has now welcomed that intervention, but the majors say the AI companies are wrong about stream-ripping rules…

Chris Cooke • 03 Dec 2025

“Creators are collateral damage” in AI race says Jorja Smith’s label, after AI voice clone track goes viral

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Jorja Smith • 3 min read

“Creators are collateral damage” in AI race says Jorja Smith’s label, after AI voice clone track goes viral

Jorja Smith’s label FAMM has entered the AI debate after a dance track went viral with vocals that had been manipulated by Suno to sound like it was Smith singing. FAMM criticises the artist behind that track, and says guardrails are urgently needed that ensure AI-generated music is clearly labelled…

Chris Cooke • 02 Dec 2025