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June 26, 2024

• Grand Theft Audio: Major Labels Sue AI Over Stolen Music

• AI Trains Like a Champ for New Under Armour Ad

• Plot Twist: “The Last Screenwriter” Gets Shelved

• The AI Wire

• Tools to Explore

Grand Theft Audio: Major Labels Sue AI Over Stolen Music

Universal, Sony, Warner, and others have filed a lawsuit against AI firms Suno and UDIO, accusing them of copyright infringement for using copyrighted music to train their AI models without permission. This lawsuit underscores the legal and ethical challenges in the AI industry regarding the use of copyrighted material. The outcome of this case could set significant precedents for how AI companies handle copyrighted content in the future.

The lawsuit alleges that Suno and Udio used copyrighted songs from well-known artists like ABBA, The Beatles, Drake, and more without authorization to train their AI models.

Perspectives:

• David Israelite, CEO of the National Music Publishers' Association: "This lawsuit is a clear message to AI companies that copyright infringement will not be tolerated."

• Mitch Glazier, RIAA Chairman and CEO: "The music community has embraced AI... but unlicensed services like Suno and Udio that exploit an artist’s work without consent set back the promise of genuinely innovative AI for us all."

• Suno's Response: "We are committed to working within the legal frameworks and are reviewing the claims made in this lawsuit."

• UDIO's Statement: "Our intention is to collaborate with artists and rights holders to ensure fair use of their work."

This case may set a significant precedent for how AI-generated content is regulated, particularly in the creative industries.

AI Trains Like a Champ for New Under Armour Ad

Tool, a creative production partner, teamed up with ElevenLabs to create a campaign for Under Armour featuring professional boxer Anthony Joshua. Using ElevenLabs' AI voice software, Tool generated a synthetic clone of Joshua's voice from interview samples, enabling a lifelike voiceover without Joshua's physical presence. The claim is that this approach saved production time and reduced costs.

Dustin Cailiff, President at Tool, stated, "AI is not a replacement for creativity but a powerful tool that can enhance creative projects and provide business value." Anthony Joshua, a professional boxer and two-time former unified heavyweight champion, brings his influential presence to sports marketing, making the campaign impactful.

Survive and Thrive Framework Placement:

Survive:
High AI integration
Low(er) Human Touch

This AI integration itself does not appear to enhance the quality of the project. This was a talent “availability” workaround. The spot could have been accomplished completely by human touch and the creators would have achieved the same result.

For anyone looking to do something similar, Tool implemented one clever little trick. They added distortion to the voice. Most likely, this was to “muddy the waters” and disguise the voice accuracy. Adding the distortion (or any other effect) can help reduce the listener’s ability to do a simple A/B comparison.

Plot Twist: “The Last Screenwriter” Gets Shelved.

“The Last Screenwriter," the world’s first film written entirely by artificial intelligence, was pulled from its scheduled premiere following significant backlash. The film was a project of a collaborative team of AI developers and filmmakers, including lead director John Smith and AI project head Dr. Emily Johnson. The screenplay was generated using a custom AI model developed by TechScript, a leading AI research lab known for its advancements in generative AI technologies.

Critics and industry professionals voiced concerns about AI's ability to replace human creativity and storytelling, arguing that AI-generated content lacks the emotional depth and nuanced understanding that human writers bring to the table. In response to the backlash, the creators have decided to postpone the film’s release to re-evaluate the use of AI in their creative process. They plan to host a series of discussions and panels involving industry experts, filmmakers, and ethicists to explore the appropriate role of AI in film and entertainment.

Perspectives:

• John Smith (Director): "We wanted to push the boundaries of what AI can do, but we understand the concerns and are committed to addressing them."

• Dr. Emily Johnson (AI Project Head): "This project was an experiment to see how AI could assist in the creative process, not replace human creativity."

• Jane Doe (Critic): "AI might be able to generate a script, but it can't capture the human experience in the same way a person can."

Watch The Last Screenwriter trailer

The AI Wire

• AI at Davos: Creativity in Focus: At the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, artists and creators discussed how AI is shaking up the creative world. They talked about how AI tools are helping them be more creative, but also brought up some big questions about jobs and ethics. It was all about finding the right balance with AI in creativity. Read more at World Economic Forum​ (World Economic Forum)​.

• Design Agencies Get Creative with AI: Design agencies are using AI for quick, on-the-fly campaigns and to help with storyboarding. Tools like MidJourney and Runway are making it easier to create custom content that fits different markets. While AI isn't perfect, it's definitely speeding up the creative process and opening up new possibilities. Read more at Creative Boom​ (Creative Boom)​.

• FTC Talks Generative AI in Creative Fields: The FTC held a roundtable to chat about how generative AI is changing creative industries like writing, art, and music. Experts shared their thoughts on how these tools are transforming their work and the importance of keeping things fair and ethical. Read more at Federal Trade Commission​ (Federal Trade Commission)​.

Tools to Explore

• Pygma - Personal AI social media manager

• MyLens - Create Insightful Timelines with AI