Sony's Anthropic Lawsuit Isn't About Protecting Music. It's About Protecting the Gate.
Sony sues Anthropic over pirated lyrics one week after taking equity in an AI music company. Not a contradiction. It's the same playbook. Invest where there's a deal, litigate where there isn't, and make sure you get paid no matter which way the industry moves. AI just lowered the barrier to entry the major labels spent a century building. They're not fighting for artists here. They're fighting to stay the gate.
Stability AI's $76M Funding Round: A Stronger Hand for the Labels, the Same Old Deal for Artists
Sony, Universal, and Warner just all invested in the same AI company. Smart move against Suno in court, since it proves the labels aren't against AI, just against not getting paid for it. But zoom out and it's the same story the industry has told for decades. The label owns the copyright, so the label captures the new revenue stream, even when that revenue comes from a use of the music nobody could have negotiated for when the artist signed. Stronger legal position for the majors. Same old deal for the artists.