Sony Music has revealed the scale of generative AI fake tracks that are replicating its stars.
The major has so far requested more than 75,000 takedowns of AI deepfakes – digital replicas of tracks by its artists.
Last year Sony Music expressed its reservation of rights in relation to training, developing or commercialising any AI system, via a public declaration on its website and published in the media.
Music Week has seen details of Sony’s generative AI takedown requests in its submission to the government consultation, which was first reported in the Sunday Times and Financial Times.
Sony’s submission said: “Sony Music unfortunately has extensive experience with digital replicas.”
It warned of the “direct commercial harm to legitimate recording artists, including UK artists”.
Between 2013 and 2024, Music Week understands that Sony Music UK invested roughly £540 million into A&R and £484 million into marketing and promotion – a combined artist-focused investment of more than £1 billion over the last decade in Britain.
The artists subject to AI fakes are generally the label’s biggest stars – in the case of Sony that includes Harry Styles, Beyoncé and Queen.
Despite the vast amount of fake tracks Sony has had to act against, it’s believed that could be just a fraction of the total.
The music industry has united to campaign against the UK government’s proposal to allow AI training for free of copyrighted material, including music. Artists have also been outspoken on the issue with a ‘silent’ album released as a protest and further campaigning at the BRIT Awards.
In the submission seen by Music Week, Sony Music said: “Copyright is a right, not a regulation, and a necessary societal reward for creating and investing in works that benefit society and enrich human life.
“The best way to meet the needs of creators and performers is for copyright works to be licensed by labels or aggregators for AI training in a free market, based on exclusive rights.
“The UK government’s role should be to preserve a strong copyright framework that encourages individual licensing in the free market.”
Although music labels and rights-holders would have an opt-out, Music Week understands that Sony Music has warned that it would reverse the key principle of copyright law and impose a vast new administrative burden on creators to constantly defend their work online. The major argues that would create legal uncertainty, while harming productivity and growth of the UK creative industries.
Following the end of the consultation period, ministers have reportedly said they are open to different views on copyright protection for AI.
Sony Music has stressed that it is open to new opportunities from the use of AI to encourage research and innovation. It is currently involved in multiple negotiations to license its IP to AI developers, but the major suggests that current government proposals would make AI licensing agreements less likely.
The company said it will “share all revenue it receives in connection with AI training licenses fairly with its artists, as it does for other digital formats”.
Music companies have frequently adopted new technology with various licensing agreements, not least across global streaming platforms.
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