Future of Life Institute Podcast Will AI Companies Respect Creators' Rights? (with Ed Newton-Rex)
Jun 20, 2025
Ed Newton-Rex, a composer and AI expert with a background at Stability AI, dives into the complex world of copyright and AI. He discusses the ethical concerns surrounding AI-generated music and the industry's often dismissive attitude toward creator rights. Ed shares his journey resigning from Stability AI and emphasizes the need for transparency in AI training data. The conversation also touches on the future of creativity amid automation and the delicate balance between technological advancement and preserving artistic authenticity.
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Ed's Resignation from Stability AI
- Ed Newton-Rex resigned from Stability AI after they publicly claimed training on copyrighted work without licenses is fair use.
- He felt this went against everything he stood for and the ethical standards he upheld in his audio team.
AI Industry's Fair Use Stance
- The standard industry attitude is that training AI on copyrighted data without licenses is covered under fair use.
- This attitude shifted rapidly in 2022, with leading companies normalizing this practice for profit.
Certifying Ethical AI Models
- Use certification schemes, like Fairly Trained, to identify AI models trained on licensed data.
- This helps creators and companies who value ethical data use make conscious choices.