On June 24, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced the filing of copyright infringement cases against AI startups – Udio and Suno – that generate real-sounding songs from written prompts. The lawsuits allege the startups trained their algorithms on copyrighted works and that such services could “[flood] the market with ‘copycats’ and ‘soundalikes,’ thereby upending an established sample licensing business.” The lawsuits come amid increased scrutiny over the use of copyrighted materials to train AI systems, including a pair of lawsuits from the New York Times and other newspapers against OpenAI and Microsoft.
On June 11, Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced the Promoting Responsible Evaluation and Procurement to Advance Readiness for Enterprise-wide Deployment (PREPARED) for AI Act. The bill would implement several requirements related to how federal agencies use and procure AI, including establishing AI governance structures and Chief AI Officers. Peters, who Chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, is planning to markup the bill this summer, according to FedScoop.
While further committee action on AI legislation remains possible this year, passing any legislation regulating AI will be a high bar, particularly given the recent announcement by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) that House Republicans will oppose any legislation that sets up new agencies, establishes new licensing requirements, or creates burdens for AI developers. Scalise has expressed concern that imposing such restrictions could hamper innovation and cede leadership in the space to China.
AI Policy Newsletter - June 28, 2024
At a Glance
June 28, 2024
By ainewsletter@fgsglobal.com