Nathaniel Bach Quoted in Billboard on AI Artists

Manatt Entertainment Litigation Partner was quoted in Billboard on the trend of signing AI “artists” like Xania Monet, an R&B musician avatar backed by a human songwriter who recently signed a multi-million-dollar record deal.

While the U.S. Copyright Office has said that using AI as an “assistive tool” is permissible, it advises that no copyright exists in AI-aided works  where “expressive elements are determined by a machine.” Monet’s deal therefore presents questions about what exactly labels are paying for when licensing AI “artists.”

Bach noted that record labels may strike deals with AI musicians to earn publicity, but the long-term value remains in question.

“Labels are surely paying for earned media and buzz around such AI ‘artists.’ Whether fans develop long-term connections with such avatars – or if they are more of a novelty act – remains to be seen,” Bach said.