Sony Develops AI Tool to Identify Copyrighted Music in AI-Generated Tracks

TOKYO – Sony Group has developed technology to identify the original source of music used in artificial intelligence (AI)-generated tracks, aiming to protect the rights of music creators and address concerns about the unauthorized use of copyrighted material in AI training. The new system allows composers, songwriters, and publishers to potentially claim compensation from AI developers when their function is used without permission.

How Sony’s Technology Works

Sony’s technology operates through two primary methods. When AI developers cooperate, the system directly analyzes their base model systems to extract training data. Without developer cooperation, the technology compares AI-generated output against existing music catalogs to estimate the contribution of original works. This allows for quantification of the influence of specific artists, for example, determining that an AI track incorporates “30% of the music used by the Beatles and 10% by Queen.” Stereogum reports.

Addressing AI Music Infringement

The development comes as AI companies face increasing legal pressure over training their models on copyrighted material without authorization. Sony Music Entertainment joined other major music companies in suing AI music generators Suno and Udio for “mass infringement” of copyrighted material. Music Business Worldwide notes that whereas Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group have settled lawsuits with Udio and partnered with the AI firm on licensing, Sony has remained notably silent on similar agreements.

Revenue Sharing and Future Applications

Sony envisions the technology as the foundation for a revenue-sharing framework, compensating original creators based on their contribution to AI-generated music. The system, developed by Sony AI as part of an exploratory research initiative, has not yet been commercially rolled out. Nikkei Asia reports that a related paper has been accepted at an international conference.

Beyond music, Sony’s technology can also be applied to AI-generated videos, games, and characters. The company hopes AI developers will incorporate the tool into their models during copyright negotiations.

Understanding “Generative AI Music”

It’s important to note that the term “generative AI music” can be misleading. AI programs don’t truly *generate* music; instead, they “train” themselves by analyzing existing, human-created music and then producing approximations based on the prompts they receive. Stereogum highlights this process, noting instances of AI programs directly plagiarizing existing songs.

Key Takeaways

• Sony has developed a technology to identify copyrighted music within AI-generated tracks.
• The system can analyze AI models directly or compare outputs to existing catalogs.
• The goal is to establish a revenue-sharing system for creators whose work is used in AI training.
• The technology has potential applications beyond music, including video and game development.