The Fold: The biggest media stories no one is talking about
This week on The Fold, Duncan Greive and Glen Kyne discuss Netflix's massive deal with France's biggest broadcaster to host its live channels and a vast library of content, along with a group of UK TV companies banding together to sell ads across their networks. Then there is the continual encroachment of AI into platforms, including the sharp rise on both Spotify and YouTube – along with the chance of a fightback, in Cloudflare's desire to create a 'pay-per-crawl' model.
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RNZ News
an hour ago
- RNZ News
Musicians concerned by lack of regulation around fast-evolving AI technology
Jeremy Toy. Photo: RNZ / Evie Richardson New Zealand's musicians are watching on with a mix of horror and wonder as artificial intelligence programmes create increasingly plausible songs, often with just a few clicks of a button. Just weeks ago a band called the 'Velvet Sundown' rose up the Spotify charts before it was revealed all their music had been generated by AI. As the technology continues to evolve at breakneck speed, artists and producers here are concerned about the lack of regulation around the tech. In recent years, a number of easily accessible generative AI music tools have been released, where users can create complete songs by merely inserting a simple prompt. One of these is Suno, a US-based company, which has faced a number of lawsuits from major record labels in the US and Germany over copyright issues. Sophie Burbery, a musician and PHD student studying the topic, said companies like Suno don't disclose what music their AI software is learning from, leaving artists vulnerable. "Suno has admitted that all of its music is trained on anything that it can scrape from the internet under fair use. No decisions have been made yet within those court systems as to whether or not they can actually rely on that as a way of getting away with not paying musicians for their music or licensing it or asking permission because at the moment they've done none of those things. " Experts say the use of AI here in New Zealand is similar to the 'wild west' with no regulation or laws in place. Concern was sparked following the recent release of the government's AI strategy report, which contained no mention of the implications for creative industries. Burbery said if this continues, the consequences could be dire for our music and other creative industries. "It's really up to the government to be doing this work, and to be saying hey look, you want to have your platform up in New Zealand Suno and Udio you need to tell us where and how you've trained your AI, and it has to be labelled as the output and who owns the output of the ai?" Sophie Burbery. Photo: Supplied / Paul Taylor These AI programmes have generated many questions around copyright, an area where New Zealand is unique. Under the current Copyright Act, when a person uses AI to create a piece of art, such as a song, the end product automatically belongs to them, even it's based on a multitude of other people's songs. Clive Elliott KC, a barrister at Shortland Chambers who specialises in Intellectual Property told Checkpoint the current law is not fit for purpose when it comes to protecting creatives. "We can't use old principles that have been around for many years. We've got to say this is a completely different paradigm we face in here and we have to find a way which compensates people who have contributed to the learning process." Elliot said the Copyright Act is simply too out of date to apply to the rapidly evolving technology. "It's theft in a way, but it's theft of a tiny piece of information. And the problem with copyright is you have to show that a substantial part of the work has been copied." "The Copyright Act has been under review for years now. [The government] need to step up and say this is this is urgent." For some in the industry, like producer and artist Jeremy Toy, the risks are worrying. "If it's adopted early on with songwriters that it normalises the process of using AI to create your music. It's completely stripping you of your creative ideas." "I find it offensive as a musician that people think they can train a computer to think independently like a creative." They said there are some things that AI will never be able to replicate. "Connecting on the level that's not verbal, just being in a room with someone and playing music with them, that will never be recreated." Although the buzz around AI has amplified in recent years, some musicians say its been a part of the industry for a while now. Rodi Kirk. Photo: RNZ / Evie Richardson Rodi Kirk, who works in music tech, said AI is commonly used when producing music, particularly in the mixing and mastering stages of production. "One thing that might be surprising is that tools that rely on machine learning are not super new in terms of music production." Kirk remained optimistic about the benefits the technology could bring. "I wouldn't release a song and swap my voice for somebody that was well known, but you might do things that change your voice around for creative purposes. This general suite of tools that will be enabled by AI, I think people will do really creative stuff with them. " With no regulation or protections for artists in sight, Burbery said it is unclear where AI will take the music industry next. "It could offer many great creative possibilities but we don't know what they are because the way it has been developed is so unethical." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
NZ musicians concerned about implications of AI
New Zealand's musicians are watching on with a mix of horror and wonder as artificial intelligence programmes create increasingly plausible songs ... often with just a few clicks of a button. Just weeks ago a band called the 'Velvet Sundown' rose up the Spotify charts before it was revealed all their music had been generated by AI. As the technology continues to evolve at breakneck speed, artists and producers here are concerned about the lack of regulation around the tech. To find out what risks and potential benefits AI may hold for Aotearoa's music industry, Evie Richardson tested out some of the tech on offer. Tags: To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
Scoop
16 hours ago
- Scoop
Lion Rock, A Wave In The Ocean Short Film, To Represent Aotearoa At 82nd Venice International Film Festival
Short film Lion Rock, by Prisca Bouchet and Nick Mayow, has been selected to compete in the prestigious Orizzonti Short Films section at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival (La Biennale di Venezia). Both Bouchet and Mayow were students of double Oscar®-winning director Jane Campion's A Wave in the Ocean film school, funded by Netflix and supported by the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC). Each of the attendees of A Wave in the Ocean took part in an intensive 12-month workshop programme, mentored by Campion and film school co-director Philippa Campbell. Students received funding to create an original short film. Renowned New Zealand filmmaker, Campion, will also be honoured at the festival, including the screening of seven short films from additional A Wave in the Ocean film school students. NZFC CEO, Annie Murray, says Lion Rock 's inclusion at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival confirms the calibre of work being generated by the film school. 'The selection of Lion Rock for the Orizzonti Short Films section at Venice is a significant recognition of the creative talent nurtured, by Jane and Philippa, through A Wave in the Ocean. This innovative film school empowers emerging filmmakers to explore their unique creative voice. We're proud to support projects that encourage bold storytelling and connect New Zealand filmmakers with the world. We're also excited to continue our partnership with this world-leading initiative by funding its next iteration, A Wave in the Ocean Part 2, Deep Dive.' Sean Berney, Director, Film at Netflix: "Netflix is incredibly proud to have supported A Wave in the Ocean, a programme that exemplifies Jane Campion's unwavering vision and dedication to empowering emerging New Zealand filmmakers to share their unique narratives with a global audience. The selection of Lion Rock at one of the world's most prestigious film festivals is a testament to the exceptional talent fostered through this initiative." The 82nd Venice International Film Festival (La Biennale di Venezia) takes place from 27 August to 6 September 2025. The seven short films from A Wave in the Ocean film school screening are: A Very Good Boy by Samuel Te Kani Girl Time by Eleanor Bishop Socks by Todd Karehana In Conversation with Jack Maurer by Hash The Girl Next Door by Mingjian Cui Kurī by Ana Chaya Scotney The Brightness by Freya Silas Finch About the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) The New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC) is the government agency responsible for supporting and promoting New Zealand's vibrant screen industry. It invests in the development, production, and marketing of New Zealand films, both locally and internationally, and works to grow the country's reputation as a world-class destination for screen production. The NZFC provides production financing for New Zealand feature and short films, offers talent development initiatives, and administers the New Zealand Screen Production Rebate (NZSPR) – a key driver in attracting major international productions. It also supports official co-productions and offers resources to connect New Zealand filmmakers with global partners. Through its dual focus on nurturing local storytelling and bringing international productions to New Zealand's shores, the NZFC plays a vital role in the economic and cultural growth of the screen sector.
