Katarzyna Petru
Artificial intelligence is increasingly making its way into the music industry, but with its development comes a growing number of questions regarding copyright. Sony has decided not to wait for further legal disputes and has developed a tool designed to detect the presence of original, protected works in AI-generated music. The technology can determine not only the potential source of inspiration but also the extent of a specific song's influence on the generated material. This is a response to the rising concerns of artists and labels who are unsure if their work has been used to train models without permission. The solution may become the foundation of new settlement rules between the music industry and AI companies. Especially as works created by algorithms are increasingly entering the mainstream.
How the song influence detection system works
The tool developed by Sony operates in two modes. In the case of cooperating AI companies, it is possible to analyse the training data of the model to check which songs were used during its learning. This allows for precise identification of whether protected music was included in the training database. However, if the model creators do not disclose their data, the system compares the finished song generated by AI to the catalogue of existing recordings. Based on this, it estimates which compositions may have influenced the final result and to what extent. This makes it possible to detect potential infringements even when the process of training the algorithm remains undisclosed.
AI and artist remuneration
Sony does not hide that technology could become the foundation of a new settlement model. If the system demonstrates that specific works had a real impact on creations made by AI, creators could receive proportional remuneration. This is a potential step towards licensing agreements and revenue-sharing mechanisms. The music industry has been in disputes for months with companies developing generative models, accusing them of using protected content without permission. Instead of completely blocking the development of AI in music, Sony is focusing on control tools and greater transparency. This is a signal that the future of the market may rely not on prohibitions, but on precisely measuring impact and fair compensation.
Sony's new technology is an attempt to organise the relationship between the world of music and artificial intelligence. The system allows detection of whether and how much AI was inspired by specific works, which could change the way creators are compensated. As algorithmically generated songs begin to compete on the charts, tools for tracking influence become crucial.
Source: DigitalTrends.com
