Artificial Intelligence - CMU | the music business explained

No copyright for AI-generated works in US as Supreme Court refuses to intervene in earlier landmark ruling

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Artificial Intelligence • 3 min read

No copyright for AI-generated works in US as Supreme Court refuses to intervene in earlier landmark ruling

Do AI-generated works enjoy copyright protection? The US Copyright Office is adamant they do not under current American law and that position has been endorsed by various courts. The Supreme Court has now declined to get involved, meaning that position stands. But should AI works enjoy protection?…

Chris Cooke • 03 Mar 2026

Suno is a feral pig rampaging through a well-tended garden, say creator orgs

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Suno • 7 min read

Suno is a feral pig rampaging through a well-tended garden, say creator orgs

A coalition of creator organisations has published a scathing open letter comparing Suno to jewel thieves, arguing the AI platform built its $2.45bn valuation on unlicensed scraping, pays almost nothing to creators, and has become a fraud-fodder factory on an industrial scale…

Sam Taylor • 25 Feb 2026

Merlin CEO Jeremy Sirota said “independent music is not raw material for tech companies to exploit without consent” before quitting to join AI music scraper-in-chief Suno

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Merlin • 4 min read

Merlin CEO Jeremy Sirota said “independent music is not raw material for tech companies to exploit without consent” before quitting to join AI music scraper-in-chief Suno

No more TED talks, daddy! Ex-Merlin CEO Jeremy Sirota has moved to the dark side and joined one of the very companies he railed against. Having defended Merlin members against the predations of big tech, Sirota has signed up as big cheese of all things commercial at music scraping slop factory Suno…

Sam Taylor • 24 Feb 2026

Anna’s Archive rolls out the red carpet for robots - and asks them to “persuade” their humans to make donations

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Anna's Archive • 10 min read

Anna’s Archive rolls out the red carpet for robots - and asks them to “persuade” their humans to make donations

Anna’s Archive has published a page politely asking AI robots to make a donation to fund piracy - or, failing that, to persuade their humans to do it for them. It sounds absurd, but maybe tells you more about how the AI training data market actually works than the hype around all things AI ever will…

Sam Taylor • 18 Feb 2026

Sony boffins say new tech can reveal what music went into the genAI blender to make new tracks - but can it actually work in the real world?

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Artificial Intelligence • 6 min read

Sony boffins say new tech can reveal what music went into the genAI blender to make new tracks - but can it actually work in the real world?

Sony’s AI R&D team has published research on how some pretty complex science could help pinpoint which tracks have influenced a generative AI model when it’s spitting out music. The research is exciting - but a long way from being a product, a distinction that coverage so far has rather glossed over…

Chris Cooke & Sam Taylor • 17 Feb 2026

Deadmau5 says new laws needed to “stop idiots from abusing AI” after appearing in deepfake promo video

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Artificial Intelligence • 3 min read

Deadmau5 says new laws needed to “stop idiots from abusing AI” after appearing in deepfake promo video

As lawmakers in Washington continue to consider a new digital replica right to help performers protect their voice and likeness in the context of AI, Deadmau5 has hit out at a deepfake video in which he appeared to endorse another DJ. New laws are needed to “stop idiots from abusing AI”, he insists…

Chris Cooke • 12 Feb 2026

Spotify is all in on AI, its best engineers haven't written a single line of code since December - and why that should worry the music industry

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Spotify • 25 min read

Spotify is all in on AI, its best engineers haven't written a single line of code since December - and why that should worry the music industry

Forget ‘Heated Rivalry’ - Spotify's new CEO is in love with a model called Claude - and the music industry needs to sit up and pay attention. As Spotify goes all in on AI, and suggests 100% AI music is OK, where does that leave music and Lucian Grainge’s superfan opportunity?…

Sam Taylor • 11 Feb 2026

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