Sony Music Warns AI Developers Not to Use Its Content for Training

variety.com:

Jem Aswad Executive Editor, Music Sony Music Group is sending out warnings to what sources say are around 700 AI developers and music streaming services, warning them not to use its content to train AI.

These so-called “opt-out” letters, which have been obtained by Variety, state that developers will need explicit permission to use that content and warns that some may already be in violation. “Due to the nature of your operations and published information about your AI systems, we have reason to believe that you and/or your affiliates may already have made unauthorized uses (including TDM [text and data mining]) of SMG Content in relation to the training, development or commercialization of AI systems,” the letter read in part.

It tells the companies not to use Sony Music’s content “to train, develop or commercialize any of your AI systems,” and a “description of the manner in which such SMG Content was accessed and/or reproduced and/or extracted by you or your affiliates or any third party contracted to do so on your behalf.” In a“Declaration of AI Training Opt-Out” statement on its websites, the company says that it and its affiliates “expressly prohibit and opt out of any text or data mining, web scraping or similar reproductions” except “as specifically and explicitly authorized by either SME or SMP.” That content includes “musical compositions, lyrics, audio recordings, audiovisual recordings, artwork, images, data, etc.” for any purpose including “training, developing or commercializing any Al system.” Sources also say that Sony is in negotiations with streaming platforms to update their terms of service to prohibit the mining and scraping of their content.