Hold up — I had a great time talking to the RIAA guy
Today, I’m talking with Mitch Glazier, who is CEO and chairman of the RIAA. This conversation was a real full-circle moment for me: I was in college when Napster hit, and the RIAA became everyone’s villain for suing kids for downloading music. That was when I decided to go be a copyright lawyer, which set […]
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Mitch Glazier, the CEO and chairman of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This conversation was particularly meaningful for me, as it took me on a nostalgic journey back to my college days when Napster first emerged, and the RIAA became a target for suing students who downloaded music without permission. At that time, I decided to pursue a career in copyright law, and Mitch was already working as a young lawyer at the RIAA during those cases.
Reflecting on my career path, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed speaking with Mitch, considering the contentious history between the RIAA and its critics. Today, both the RIAA and artists are unhappy with the actions of major AI companies, which have been training on copyrighted works without permission and flooding content feeds with subpar material.
As the RIAA's CEO and chairman, Mitch faces numerous challenges, including lobbying for legal changes and filing lawsuits against entities affected by these issues. We delved into complex topics such as AI-generated deepfakes, the potential impact of banning AI-generated content on other forms of expression, and the practicality of AI detection and labeling systems, especially when adopted by major platforms like Spotify and YouTube.
Our conversation shifted towards the legal and ethical implications of AI technology, as well as the broader relationship between intellectual property rights, the internet, and the future of artistic expression. I found myself reflecting on the idealistic belief that open access to information and the "everything is a remix" mentality would drive cultural progress. However, I now recognize that overzealous enforcement of intellectual property rights might hinder the creation of new art, stifling innovation in the process.
As we wrap up our discussion, I urge you to subscribe to Decoder on YouTube, where we release new episodes every Monday and Thursday. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to our continued exploration of the intersection between AI, law, art, and commerce.
Written by urgent.news from The Verge's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
