This week, Sony Music revealed it has now requested platforms to take away greater than 260,000 AI deepfakes impersonating artists together with Harry Kinds, Adele, and Michael Jackson.
In the meantime, Suno is going through an investigation in Italy over its phrases of service, as scrutiny of AI music platforms continues to develop.
Elsewhere, the US Copyright Workplace launched a public inquiry into streaming fraud — a day after Michael Smith was sentenced to 18 months in jail over an $8 million AI-song-and-bot scheme.
Additionally this week, Suno employed Ticketmaster‘s Michael Chua to guide its dwell music operations, together with concert-discovery platform Songkick.
Listed below are a number of the greatest headlines from the previous few days…
1. Sony Music has now requested platforms to take away greater than 260,000 AI deepfakes imitating artists like Harry Kinds, Adele, and Michael Jackson
By the top of September, Sony Music had requested digital platforms to take down greater than 260,000 AI-generated tracks impersonating its artists.
That’s nearly double the 135,000 tracks it had sought to take away by the top of March, in keeping with the Monetary Occasions, which reported the brand new determine on Monday (October 5).
To slice the numbers one other method: they counsel that, on common, Sony issued over 20,000 AI deepfake takedown requests monthly in Q2 and Q3 (April 1 – Sept 30). (MBW)
2. Suno faces investigation in Italy over phrases of service
Italy‘s competitors authority has opened an investigation into Suno‘s phrases of service.
The Italian Competitors Authority (AGCM) stated on Tuesday (October 6) that the AI music firm’s phrases “could also be unfair pursuant to Article 33 of the Shopper Code” as a result of they “could create a major imbalance within the rights and obligations beneath the contract, to the detriment of customers.”
The AGCM‘s considerations embody value adjustments, account terminations, US-based arbitration, and a content material license that it says requires customers to waive their ethical rights. (MBW)
3. Music streaming fraud inquiry launched by US Copyright Workplace
The US Copyright Workplace (USCO) has launched a public inquiry into music streaming fraud.
The Workplace printed a discover of inquiry within the Federal Register on Wednesday (October 7), looking for info on how streaming fraud is carried out, its financial affect, and its relationship to AI-generated music.
Written feedback are due by November 23, with reply feedback due by December 21. (MBW)
4. Michael Smith, man behind $8M AI tune and bot streaming fraud, sentenced to 18 months in jail
Michael Smith has been sentenced to 18 months in jail for a streaming fraud scheme that prosecutors say introduced him greater than USD $8 million in royalties.
US District Choose John G. Koeltl handed down the sentence in Manhattan federal courtroom on Tuesday (October 6), the US Lawyer’s Workplace for the Southern District of New York introduced.
Smith, 54, of Cornelius, North Carolina, pleaded responsible in March to 1 rely of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. (MBW)
5. Suno hires Ticketmaster’s Michael Chua to guide its dwell music group, together with Songkick
Suno has employed Michael Chua from Ticketmaster as Vice President and Common Supervisor of Suno Reside Experiences.
Within the function, Chua will lead the AI music firm’s dwell music operations, which embody live performance discovery platform Songkick.
Suno acquired Songkick from Warner Music Group in November 2025, as a part of the licensing settlement that settled WMG’s copyright lawsuit towards the corporate. (MBW)
Companion message: MBW’s Weekly Spherical-up is supported by BMI, the international chief in performing rights administration, devoted to supporting songwriters, composers and publishers and championing the worth of music. Discover out extra about BMI right here. Music Enterprise Worldwide
