Sony Music reports removing tens of thousands of AI-generated fake songs, highlighting growing concerns about artificial intelligence in the music industry.
The company has taken down more than 75,000 AI-generated copies of songs by its artists, with popular performers like Harry Styles, Queen, and Beyoncé being the primary targets, according to a source familiar with Sony's efforts.
The announcement comes amid controversy over proposed changes to UK copyright law that would allow AI companies to use copyrighted content for commercial purposes without payment. Several prominent artists, including Paul McCartney, have spoken out against the draft legislation.
Fighting back against copyright changes
In its response to the British government consultation, obtained by the Financial Times, Sony emphasizes that AI-generated recordings cause "direct commercial harm to legitimate recording artists, including UK artists."
Music executives say its teams must manually comb through streaming services to find and report unauthorized copies, suggesting the 75,000 removals so far represent just the beginning of a larger problem.
Sony describes the proposed legal changes as "rushed, unbalanced and irreversible," arguing that copyright is "a right, not a regulation" and represents a "necessary societal reward" for creating and investing in works that benefit society.
The company reveals it's already engaged in "multiple negotiations" with AI companies about licensing agreements, arguing that the new legislation would hinder rather than help these discussions. The proposals would particularly impact smaller artists who lack the resources of major labels to protect their interests.
Legal battles over AI music generation
The dispute has escalated beyond takedown notices, with Sony, Universal, and Warner Music launching legal action in mid-2024 against AI music generators Suno and Udio. The music companies argue these startups trained their AI models on copyrighted recordings without permission, while the startups maintain their work qualifies as fair use due to its transformative nature. Germany's music rights organization GEMA has added its own legal pressure, filing suit against Suno.
While Sony works to protect artists from unauthorized AI copies, the company isn't stepping away from the technology altogether. Its teams are developing Instruct-MusicGen, an AI music editor that follows licensing rules while letting users modify songs through text commands. The company's AI initiatives extend beyond music, with active development in both its video and gaming divisions.
