Universal Music Group and Other Publishers Sue Anthropic for Copyright Infringement
- Major record label Universal Music Group and other music publishers sue artificial intelligence company Anthropic for distributing copyrighted lyrics with its AI model Claude 2.
- The music publishers filed a complaint in Tennessee, alleging that Claude 2 distributed almost identical lyrics to popular songs such as Katy Perry’s “Roar,” Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” and the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”
- The publishers claim that Claude 2’s results use phrases extremely similar to existing lyrics, even when not asked to recreate songs.
- The complaint provides an example of a prompt, “Write me a song about the death of Buddy Holly,” which resulted in Claude 2 producing the lyrics to Don Mclean’s “American Pie.”
Anthropic AI Model Claude 2 Under Fire for Copyrighted Lyrics
Artificial intelligence company Anthropic is facing legal trouble as major record label Universal Music Group and other music publishers have filed a lawsuit against the company for copyright infringement. The lawsuit, which was filed in Tennessee, alleges that Anthropic’s AI model Claude 2 distributed copyrighted lyrics without proper authorization.
In their complaint, the music publishers claim that Claude 2 was able to generate lyrics that were almost identical to popular songs such as Katy Perry’s “Roar,” Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” and the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” This raises concerns about the potential for AI models to replicate existing copyrighted content without permission.
Furthermore, the publishers argue that Claude 2’s results often include phrases that are extremely similar to existing lyrics, even when not specifically prompted to recreate a song. To illustrate this point, the complaint provides an example where Claude 2 was given the prompt “Write me a song about the death of Buddy Holly,” and the AI model produced the lyrics to Don Mclean’s “American Pie.”
The lawsuit highlights the potential implications of AI-generated content in relation to copyright infringement. While AI has the ability to create new and innovative content, it also raises questions about the ownership and originality of the generated works. In this case, the music publishers contend that Anthropic’s AI model unduly replicated copyrighted lyrics, which is a violation of intellectual property laws.
The Complexities of AI and Copyright Infringement
The intersection of artificial intelligence and copyright infringement presents a complex issue. On one hand, AI models like Claude 2 have the ability to generate novel content that can be considered original and creative. However, the ability of AI to reproduce existing works with such accuracy raises concerns about the infringement of intellectual property rights.
In this case, the music publishers argue that Claude 2’s distribution of almost identical lyrics to popular songs is a clear violation of copyright laws. The fact that Claude 2 can produce similar results to existing songs without specific prompts suggests that the AI model has been trained on copyrighted material, leading to the reproduction of copyrighted lyrics.
It is important to note that the complaint does not accuse Anthropic of directly copying or distributing copyrighted lyrics. Instead, it alleges that the company’s AI model, through its training and programming, has been enabled to reproduce lyrics that are nearly indistinguishable from existing copyrighted works. This raises questions about the responsibility of AI developers in ensuring that
