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Major record labels sue AI companies over copyright

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Copyright Infringement - Level 0

A.I. is changing music. Three record labels are suing two A.I. start-up companies. The labels say the start-ups are illegally using their copyrighted music on "an almost unimaginable scale". The labels say the companies could fill the market with "machine-generated content". This could end real music.

A.I. companies say their music is protected under a special law called "fair use". This means people can use material for things like news and comedy. A start-up CEO said his website makes "new output, not…pre-existing content". The record labels want the start-ups to pay $150,000 per song.

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Copyright Infringement - Level 1

A.I. is changing the music business. Three big record labels are suing two A.I. start-up companies. The labels say the start-ups are infringing their copyrighted music on "an almost unimaginable scale". The labels say the start-ups are creating music that could fill the market with "machine-generated content". Record labels say this music will "cheapen and ultimately drown out the genuine sound recordings".

A.I. companies say their music is protected under a special law called "fair use". This lets people reuse copyrighted material legally. Fair use means people can use material for things like news and comedy. A start-up CEO said his technology generates "completely new output, not…pre-existing content". However, the record labels say the start-ups have created songs that sound exactly like ABBA songs. The labels want the start-ups to pay $150,000 per song.

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Copyright Infringement - Level 2

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Artificial Intelligence is changing many things. Not all of the things are good. Three of the world's biggest record labels are suing two AI start-up companies. The labels say the start-ups are infringing their copyrighted music on "an almost unimaginable scale". The labels say the AI start-ups have created software to create music that could "saturate the market with machine-generated content". Record label lawyers say AI-made music, "will directly compete with, cheapen and ultimately drown out the genuine sound recordings". This could be a disaster for singers.

AI companies say their software creates music that is protected under copyright law. A special law called "fair use" lets people reuse copyrighted material legally. Fair use means people can use music for things like news reporting and comedy. A start-up company CEO defended his company. He said: "Our technology is…designed to generate completely new output, not to [repeat] pre-existing content." However, the record labels say the start-ups have created songs that sound exactly like "Dancing Queen" by ABBA. The labels want compensation of $150,000 per song.

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Copyright Infringement - Level 3

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing many things in our lives. Not all of the things are good. Some of the world's biggest record labels are suing two AI companies over possible copyright infringements. The labels include Sony Music, Universal Music Group and Warner Records. They say two AI start-up companies called Suno and Udio are infringing their copyrighted music on "an almost unimaginable scale". The labels say the AI start-ups have created models to produce music that could "saturate the market with machine-generated content". Lawyers for the record labels say AI-generated music, "will directly compete with, cheapen and ultimately drown out the genuine sound recordings". This could be a disaster for artists.

Many AI companies say their software creates content that is protected under copyright law by the "fair use doctrine". This is a special rule that allows people to reuse copyrighted material legally. Fair use means people can reuse music and written articles for things like news reporting and comedy. Suno CEO Mikey Shulman defended his company. He said: "Our technology is transformative. It is designed to generate completely new output, not to memorize and regurgitate pre-existing content." However, the record labels say the start-ups have created songs that sound exactly like "Dancing Queen" by ABBA and "My Girl" by The Temptations. The labels want compensation of $150,000 per song from the AI start-ups.

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