Three of the largest music publishers, Universal Music Group, Concord Music Group, and ABKCO Music, have filed a lawsuit against AI company Anthropic, claiming that its AI models infringe on their copyrights for song lyrics. The publishers allege that Anthropic’s AI model, named Claude, has been trained on copyrighted content from across the internet, including lyrics from songs that the plaintiffs control the publishing rights to. The lawsuit argues that Anthropic’s AI chatbot can generate lyrics from copyrighted songs, even in response to indirect prompts, and the company has profited from licensing and offering access to chatbots powered by its AI models. This lawsuit represents a new approach in the music industry’s efforts to protect their intellectual property from AI companies.
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Lawsuit by Music Publishers Against Anthropic
Introduction
In a groundbreaking development in the music industry’s battle against generative AI tools, three major music publishers have filed a lawsuit against Anthropic, an AI company. Universal Music Group, Concord Music Group, and ABKCO Music are accusing Anthropic of violating copyrights for their song lyrics by training its AI models on their content. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, marks a new approach in the industry’s efforts to prevent AI companies from using copyrighted materials.
Background of the Lawsuit
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Universal Music Group, Concord Music Group, and ABKCO Music, are well-established music publishers with significant control over the publishing rights of numerous songs. The lawsuit alleges that Anthropic’s AI model, named Claude, has been trained on a wide range of internet content, including lyrics from copyrighted songs managed by the plaintiffs. As a result, Anthropic’s AI chatbot can provide lyrics to copyrighted songs upon request. The lawsuit highlights that existing music lyrics aggregators and websites have properly licensed the publishers’ copyrighted works to offer similar services.
Accusations Against Anthropic
The music publishers contend that Anthropic’s AI model has violated copyright laws in multiple ways. First, the AI models have been trained on copyrighted song lyrics without obtaining the necessary permissions from the copyright holders. Second, the AI chatbot developed by Anthropic is capable of generating lyrics from copyrighted songs even when indirectly prompted, such as writing poetry or short fiction in the style of a particular artist. The publishers argue that Anthropic fails to acknowledge the rights holders in these instances.
Exhibit of Copyright Infringed Songs
As part of the lawsuit, the music publishers attached an exhibit containing 500 songs allegedly infringed upon by Anthropic. These songs span various genres and are performed by artists ranging from the Beach Boys to Ariana Grande. The exhibit serves as evidence of the publishers’ claim that Anthropic’s AI models have unlawfully used copyrighted lyrics.
Profit Made by Anthropic
The lawsuit highlights the profits generated by Anthropic through licensing and offering access to chatbots powered by its AI models. These chatbots, including Claude, have gained popularity and value due to the substantial text corpus they incorporate, which includes copyrighted lyrics owned by the music publishers. The plaintiffs argue that Anthropic’s financial success is, in part, a result of using copyrighted content without proper authorization.
Targeting AI Companies
By filing the lawsuit against Anthropic, the music industry power players, represented by Universal Music Group, Concord Music Group, and ABKCO Music, demonstrate their commitment to combating any generative AI companies that potentially infringe on their copyrights. This action aligns with the industry-wide Human Artistry Campaign, initiated by the RIAA and labels like UMG, which aims to encourage responsible use of AI in the music industry. The campaign has previously focused on urging companies, including streaming platforms, to prevent the use of their catalogs for training AI models.
Human Artistry Campaign
The Human Artistry Campaign, launched by the music industry, including the RIAA and Universal Music Group, promotes responsible use of AI in the music industry. It emphasizes the importance of preserving the artistry and creative efforts of human musicians while incorporating AI technology. The campaign seeks to ensure that AI tools enhance the music-making process without undermining the work of artists.
Partnership with Deezer
Universal Music Group (UMG) recently announced a partnership with Deezer, a streaming platform, aimed at promoting music by artists who meet a certain threshold of monthly listeners. This collaboration intends to support artists’ work and elevate their visibility within the streaming community. Additionally, the partnership includes efforts to reduce and demonetize what UMG refers to as “non-artist noise audio.” This move further exhibits UMG’s commitment to responsible music streaming and protecting artists’ interests.
Anthropic’s Response
Despite the lawsuit and the significant impact it may have on the AI company, Anthropic has not provided any public comment concerning the legal action. The absence of a response from Anthropic leaves many questions unanswered regarding their position on the allegations and their plans for addressing the lawsuit.
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Introduction
The music industry’s battle against generative AI tools has taken a new turn with the lawsuit filed by three prominent music publishers against Anthropic. This article examines the background of the lawsuit, the accusations leveled against Anthropic, and the implications of the case for AI companies and copyright protection.
Overview of the Lawsuit
The lawsuit brought by Universal Music Group, Concord Music Group, and ABKCO Music against Anthropic alleges that the AI company violated copyrights by training its models on copyrighted song lyrics. This legal action marks a significant development in the ongoing efforts of the music industry to prevent unauthorized use of copyrighted materials in AI applications.
Importance of Copyright Protection
Copyright protection plays a crucial role in the music industry, safeguarding the rights of artists, songwriters, and music publishers. It ensures that creators receive recognition and financial compensation for their work. Lawsuits, such as the one against Anthropic, highlight the industry’s commitment to protecting copyrighted materials from unauthorized use by AI companies and promoting responsible AI practices.
