AI Artist Record Deal: A Copyright Mess
AI
Copyright
Music
Entertainment
Legal
Artificial Intelligence
Record Labels
8
Algorithm Ambiguity
Media Hype
7/10
Real Impact
8/10
What is the Viqus Verdict?
We evaluate each news story based on its real impact versus its media hype to offer a clear and objective perspective.
AI Analysis:
While the issue is generating significant discussion and concern, the underlying legal uncertainty surrounding AI-generated content translates to a substantial long-term impact, demanding critical attention from lawmakers and industry stakeholders.
Article Summary
Record company Hallwood Media recently signed a deal with Telisha “Nikki” Jones, whose AI-generated R&B artist, “Xania Monet,” has garnered significant attention on Spotify and Instagram. The core issue revolves around the copyrightability of music generated by AI systems like Suno. Legal experts confirm that current copyright laws primarily protect works with demonstrable human authorship. In Monet’s case, the music itself was produced using Suno, and without a clear human contribution beyond the lyrics written by Jones, the music lacks copyright protection. However, Hallwood Media’s deal highlights the potential for securing copyright on the human-made element—the lyrics—a common practice in music contracts. The deal underscores a broader ‘unsettled’ legal landscape surrounding AI and creative works, particularly concerning the training data used by AI music generators. Concerns are mounting about copyright holders’ ability to track and prevent their music from being used to train these models. Hallwood Media’s actions are seen as potentially dubious, given the lack of clear copyright protection for the underlying music. The situation underscores the need for legal frameworks to adapt to this rapidly evolving technology. As of September 2025, no copyright registrations exist for “Telisha Jones” or “Xania Monet,” further emphasizing the legal ambiguity.Key Points
- AI-generated music lacks automatic copyright protection unless human authorship is demonstrably present.
- Record companies can potentially secure copyright on human-created elements like lyrics within a music contract.
- The legal landscape surrounding AI-generated creative works is currently ‘unsettled,’ posing challenges for copyright enforcement.