As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance, its effect on the music industry can be felt in more ways than one. But with any major technological shift, there’s the potential for artists to be taken advantage of or overlooked. One person working to ensure that doesn’t happen is SoundExchange CEO Mike Huppe, who recently spoke on a panel about the use of AI in music at the 2019 SXSW Interactive Festival.
During his talk, Huppe spoke about the potential of AI in music, but also the need for fair compensation for artists and songwriters, as well as control over how their music is used. He argued that the industry needs to ensure “fairness and control” when it comes to AI and music, as well as transparency for how artists are compensated for their work.
“As AI becomes increasingly important to the music ecosystem, creators must have a real say in how their work is used and how they are compensated,” said Huppe. “We must make sure AI is not used in a way that bypasses creators, reduces their royalties, or misappropriates their work.”
Huppe also spoke about the need to ensure that AI is used responsibly and ethically, and that it should be seen as “a tool that can benefit the entire industry.” He went on to suggest that publishers and labels should strive to “share the wealth of data” with artists, and that there needs to be more regulatory oversight to ensure that rights holders are properly compensated.
In addition, Huppe argued that the music industry should do more to ensure that AI is used in a way that is beneficial to creators, such as by using it to help identify more revenue streams or to help struggling artists get their music heard. He concluded by noting that, with collective action from both publishers and labels, creators can benefit in the long run from the use of AI in the industry.
The views of Mike Huppe show a clear understanding of the potential risks and benefits of AI in the music industry. By advocating for fairness and control in the usage of AI by publishers and labels, he is setting an important example and helping to ensure that artists are not forgotten in the coming wave of technology.
