Deepfake Threatens the Music Industry as Sony Music Fights Back

Sony Music, one of the world’s three largest music companies, has revealed the scale of the challenges it faces due to the widespread circulation of AI-generated fake music, commonly known as “deepfake” technology. The company announced that it has successfully removed over 75,000 fake recordings, which included tracks imitating some of its top artists, including Harry Styles.

Sony disclosed this figure in a report submitted to the UK government, as part of a consultation on copyright regulations. The company expressed concerns that these regulations might exacerbate the damage AI is causing to the music industry, according to a report by the Financial Times, reviewed by Al Arabiya Business.

According to music industry executives, the number of AI-generated tracks that Sony has identified and removed may represent just a fraction of the total fake content available online. They highlighted the challenge of combating this issue, as teams must manually search streaming platforms for deepfake music before requesting its removal.

The rise of free AI tools capable of generating massive amounts of convincing fake content has sparked growing concern in creative industries. Many fear that the widespread availability of AI-generated music could undermine legitimate recordings and erode revenue streams for artists and music companies.

In its submission to the UK government, Sony Music warned that AI-generated tracks streaming on music platforms have caused direct commercial harm to real artists, including British musicians. The company urged policymakers to implement strict regulatory measures to safeguard intellectual property rights and protect the creative industry from further disruption.

Source: Financial Times