Two weeks ago, Hallwood Media entered into a recording contract with lyricist Telisha “Nikki” Jones, reportedly after negotiations that included a $3 million offer. Jones is known as the creator behind the AI-generated R&B artist “Xania Monet,” whose most popular track on Spotify has accumulated over a million listens. Monet’s Instagram Reels frequently surpass 100,000 views, despite her content being entirely AI-generated.
Experts in copyright law express uncertainty regarding the implications of such AI-generated works. Generally, copyright protection may only cover human-created elements, such as lyrics, while entirely AI-generated compositions may not be eligible for copyright. This raises critical questions about the value of Hallwood Media’s investment and what rights can be licensed from AI-generated music.
The specifics of the financial terms of the deal were not publicly disclosed, but it appears evident that Monet’s digital representation is AI-generated, even revealing some glitches in her video performances. Jones used the AI music generator Suno to create the songs, which is currently facing lawsuits from major record labels for alleged copyright violations due to how it was trained on existing music data.
Jones’ manager, Romel Murphy, mentioned that some other record labels withdrew interest when they learned of Suno’s involvement. He directed inquiries about potential copyright infringement to their lawyer, who did not comment further.
Hallwood Media finds itself in a complicated situation, as copyright law presently provides limited protection for music generated by AI, mainly covering only the human-written lyrics. Music without human authorship may lack clear copyright standing, meaning that while art can be sold, enforcing copyright rights may be challenging if others use or replicate the work within commercial settings.
The Copyright Office has clarified that only works with some human authorship are eligible for copyright, further complicating the landscape for artists and companies engaging with AI in creative fields. Senator Peter Welch has introduced legislation to improve access for copyright holders seeking transparency about AI training data, highlighting the evolving intersection of technology and copyright law.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/785792/ai-generated-music-record-deal-copyright