Major music publishing entities Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG), Concord Music Group, and ABKCO have jointly filed a lawsuit against Anthropic, an AI platform that recently garnered a multi-billion dollar investment from Amazon. The lawsuit, submitted in a Nashville court on October 18, alleges that Anthropic’s AI content generation engine, named Claude, has been illicitly utilizing copyrighted song lyrics without obtaining proper authorization from the respective publishers.
Allegations of unauthorized use of copyrighted material
The lawsuit claims that Anthropic’s AI models have been unlawfully copying and disseminating a substantial volume of copyrighted works, including lyrics from a diverse array of musical compositions owned or controlled by the plaintiffs. In their legal filing, the plaintiffs assert that the copyrighted material extracted by Anthropic does not fall under the scope of free usage solely because it is publicly accessible on the internet. Moreover, the plaintiffs emphasize that Anthropic failed to seek or acquire permission from the publishers to utilize their copyrighted works for the development and operation of their AI models.
Violation of copyright law and ethical AI practices
Representatives of the publishing entities underscored the significance of ethical AI practices, emphasizing the necessity for adherence to established copyright laws. Matthew J. Oppenheim, a partner at Oppenheim + Zebrak, LLP, serving as the attorney for ABKCO, Concord, and UMPG, emphasized that any entity, including AI companies, must adhere to copyright regulations when utilizing copyrighted content to advance their business interests.
Impact on the music industry and licensed platforms
The lawsuit contends that Anthropic’s continuous extraction of song lyrics enables its AI system, Claude, to generate replicas or closely similar renditions of the copyrighted lyrics, thus infringing upon the copyrights held by the publishers. In contrast, the legal filing acknowledges the presence of several music lyrics aggregators that have procured appropriate licensing from music publishers, distinguishing their compliance with the law.
Consequences of anthropic’s actions
The plaintiffs argue that Anthropic’s failure to obtain the necessary permissions from music publishers is adversely affecting the publishers and songwriters, depriving them of control over their creative works and the well-deserved benefits arising from their artistic efforts. Furthermore, Anthropic’s non-compliance allegedly places it in direct competition with licensed music lyric aggregators, creating an uneven playing field that undermines the existing and potential licensing markets in various, unquantifiable ways.
The Future Implications and the Need for ComplianceAs the legal battle unfolds, the case brings into focus the crucial intersection of AI technology and copyright law, underscoring the significance of regulatory compliance and ethical utilization of copyrighted material. The outcome of this lawsuit is likely to set a significant precedent for the evolving landscape of AI technology and its relationship with creative content.
