AI advancements are blurring the line between copyright infringement and original works.
A YouTuber recently received a copyright strike from major record label Universal Music Publishing Group for publishing a ChatGPT-generated and AI-sung rap song about cats.
Debates about the ethics of using AI-generated work are still raging within and without the internet, with legitimate groups claiming that AI poses a threat to artists' rights.
Universal Music Publishing Group DMCA Takedown Details
Universal Music Group just decided to copyright strike my AI Eminem Cat Rap video. Usually they just claim and monetize videos like this but they really wanted AI Eminem to be taken down for some reason. pic.twitter.com/2ky4AYOf8U
— Dr Grandayy (@grandayy) April 2, 2023
Universal Music recently issued a Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown against YouTuber Grandayy for publishing a ChatGPT-generated rap song sung by an AI-generated version of Eminem's voice, per Interesting Engineering.
The record label claimed that the video infringes on its copyright. While it didn't mention why, Eminem falls under the list of artists who signed under Universal Music, according to the record label's official website.
Grandayy would address the DMCA takedown of their video on Twitter on Apr. 2, the same day it arrived. They said that the record label and its ilk usually claim and monetize videos like the one he published.
However, he claimed that "they wanted AI Eminem to be taken down for some reason." He would later go to Vice and address the copyright strike again, describing the takedown as "an extreme reaction," considering that the record label not only sent a DMCA takedown but also blocked the video.
Grandayyy added that they didn't think it was right for Universal Music to take down their video and give their channel a strike since the video was "a satirical parody... clearly labeled as AI-generated content (both in the title and the actual video itself)." Thanks to the DMCA takedown Universal Music sent, Grandayy's YouTube channel received one copyright strike that could have serious consequences for him or any YouTuber that gets it.
According to Google's Support Page, getting one copyright strike would serve as a warning to the offending YouTuber, though they'll need to attend and go through Copyright School to help them understand copyright and how YouTube enforces it. Should a YouTuber accumulate three copyright strikes, their account, along with any associated channels, is subject to termination and the removal of all the videos uploaded to the offending account.
YouTubers with three copyright strikes would also be banned from YouTube as they can't create any new channels anymore.
The Case For Being An AI-Generated Parody
AI-generated content is a grey area for copyright laws and their holders. While Grandayy's video only mimics Eminem's voice and style, it is unclear if Universal Music also has a copyright to Eminem's voice. However, that fact didn't stop other record companies to file several lawsuits under the ownership of AI-generated voices.
Additionally, copyright laws allow for parody works as long as they're transformative (among other factors) and how the parody might affect the original work's market. While Grandayy's video mimics Eminem's voice and style, it doesn't sample his songs.
Whether Grandayy's video violated copyright laws is still anyone's guess at this time save for Universal Music.
