Jonathan Coote comments in City A.M. on the growing pressure on AI developers from the music industry

Associate Jonathan Coote has commented on the increasing tension between tech companies and the music industry after 200 artists signed an open letter calling for the end to the “predatory” use of AI in the sector.

Jonathan’s comments were published in City A.M., 5 April 2024, and can be found here.

“Whilst star-studded protests like this might catch headlines, it is not yet clear if many of their demands will be legally enforceable in practice.

“While there are at least 20 legal actions against AI developers going through US courts and one-high profile case in the UK, the outcomes in many are uncertain and there are serious questions as to whether it will be possible to “put the genie back in the box”, even if these are successful.

“The letter comes only days after OpenAI announced a new voice cloning tool, “Voice Engine”, but deemed it too risky for release, perhaps as a result of the legal and PR pressure which followed the launch of its previous tools.

“Crucially, because of how contracts in the music industry operate, many of these artists may not actually have the authority to launch their own lawsuits, as these rights are often signed away to record labels and publishers.”