Sony Music Opts Out of AI Training, Informs 700 AI And Streaming Services

AI remains a highly contested topic, with many people arguing that it has the potential to cause significant damage to the creative industry and its members. To a certain extent, it already does, as users can easily create deepfakes that can harm an artist's reputation. Another concern revolves around what information and data developers of AI tools use for training. For instance, ChatGPT apparently uses info from various online sources, including social media, which can lead to copyright infringement and breaches of data protection laws.

Now, Sony Music Group has decided to send a letter to 700 AI developers and music streaming services, prohibiting them from using its content to train AI. In its official Declaration of AI Training Opt Out, the company explains that as a “passionate believer in the inherent and paramount value of human artistry,” it “prohibits and opts out of any text or data mining, web scraping or similar reproductions, extractions or uses of any SME and/or SMP content.” It does so “for any purposes, including in relation to training, developing or commercializing any AI system, and by any means, including by bots, scrapers or other automated processes.”

This includes audio recordings, musical compositions, lyrics, cover artworks, and metadata, among other things. As a result, developers will have to ask for permission and request licensing agreements before using any Sony Music Group content or data. Meanwhile, NBC News reports that companies have to either confirm to SMG that they have not used any content without permission or offer insight into how it has been used in relation to AI training.