Sony Music says it has removed more than 75,000 AI-generated tracks that falsely featured its prominent artists, including Harry Styles.
The company disclosed this figure in a submission to a UK government consultation on copyright laws, which was reported by the Financial Times.
The UK government is considering allowing AI companies to freely use copyrighted materials for training models, unless rights holders explicitly opt out. Sony argues that such a shift could worsen the spread of unauthorised AI-generated content, causing direct harm to legitimate artists and the broader creative sector.
Music industry executives believe the detected deepfakes represent just a fraction of the unauthorised content circulating online.
Sony’s concerns are echoed by experts from Oxford University, who warn that the proposed copyright amendments could undermine the creative sector by favouring large tech companies over individual creators. They argue that such changes might devalue creative contributions and jeopardise the sector’s substantial economic impact.
Additionally, legal experts caution that the UK’s proposed copyright reforms could breach international laws, potentially leading to retaliatory measures from other countries. The suggested exception allowing AI companies to utilise copyrighted materials without owner consent may conflict with the Berne Convention, an international treaty safeguarding copyright.
Sony advocates for maintaining the current system, where AI developers must obtain licenses to access copyrighted content for training purposes. The company is engaged in negotiations to license its intellectual property to AI firms, emphasising that the proposed changes could deter such collaborations and harm the UK’s creative economy.
