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With a Data Licensing Framework in Play, Rights Holders Can Embrace AI 

Illustration of a robotic vacuum with the OpenAI logo vacuuming up data
Illustration: Cheyne Gateley/Variety VIP+

In this article

  • Rights holders are increasingly licensing their data to startups and Big Tech to train AI models, but hurdles remain
  • Ongoing legal battles between industry players won't resolve until agreements respect IP rights
  • One fix may lie in hybrid models mixing upfront monies with revenue sharing so AI-generated content benefits all parties

In the past year, we’ve witnessed a surge in partnerships between content creators and AI developers. From text and images to videos and music, rights holders are increasingly licensing their data to startups and Big Tech companies to train AI models.

In the music industry, for example, some companies have successfully licensed music catalogs from rights holders to train AI music models capable of composing original music — demonstrating the potential for mutually beneficial partnerships between rights holders and AI developers.

However, there remain obstacles that must be resolved. Ongoing legal battles between major players in the industry highlight the importance of establishing clear licensing agreements and respecting intellectual property rights.

As AI continues to advance at a rapid-fire pace, it’s crucial for rights holders and AI developers to navigate these complexities, find common ground and work together to solidify the framework for AI data licensing that benefits all parties.

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