The New Copyright and Rights Battle: Who Owns the Sound of AI When Machines Make Music? | A Panel Conversation with Chandler Lawn, Michael Sheldrick, Drew Thurlow, Puya Partow-Navid, and Marco Ciappelli | Music Evolves with Sean Martin
Description
Show Notes
As artificial intelligence begins generating music from vast datasets of human art, a fundamental question emerges: who truly owns the sound of AI? This episode of Music Evolves brings together a law student and former musician Chandler Lawn, music industry executive and professor Drew Thurlow, Michael Sheldrick, Co-Founder of Global Citizen, and intellectual property attorney Puya Partow-Navid, alongside hosts Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli, to examine how AI is reshaping authorship, licensing, and the meaning of originality.
The panel explores how AI democratizes creation while exposing deep ethical and economic gaps. Lawn raises the issue of whether artists whose works trained AI models deserve compensation, asking if innovation can be ethical when built on uncompensated labor. Thurlow highlights how, despite fears of automation, generative AI music accounts for less than 1% of streaming royalties—suggesting opportunity, not replacement.
Sheldrick connects the conversation to a broader global context, describing how music’s economic potential could drive sustainable development if nations modernize copyright frameworks. He views this shift as a rare chance to position creative industries as engines for jobs and growth.
Partow-Navid grounds the discussion in legal precedent, pointing to landmark cases—from Two Live Crew to George R. R. Martin—as markers of how courts may interpret fair use, causality, and global jurisdiction in AI-driven creation.
Together, the guests agree that the debate extends beyond legality. It’s about the emotional authenticity that makes music human. As Chandler notes, “We connect through imperfection.” Marco adds that live performance may ultimately anchor value in a world saturated by digital replication.
This conversation captures the tension—and promise—of a future where music, technology, and law must learn to play in harmony.
Guests
Chandler Lawn, AI Innovation and Law Fellow at The University of Texas School of Law | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandlerlawn/
Drew Thurlow, Adjunct Professor at Berklee College of Music | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewthurlow/
Michael Sheldrick, Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact and Government Affairs Officer at Global Citizen | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-sheldrick-30364051/
Puya Partow-Navid, Partner at Seyfarth Shaw LLP | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/puyapartow/
Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder, ITSPmagazine and Studio C60 | Website: https://www.marcociappelli.com
Host
Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine, Studio C60, and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast & Music Evolves Podcast | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com/
Resources
Legal Publication: You Can’t Alway Get What You Want: A Survey of AI-related Copyright Considerations for the Music Industry published in Vol. 32, No. 3 of the Texas State Bar Entertainment and Sports Law Journal.
BOOK: Machine Music: How AI Is Transforming Music’s Next Act by Drew Thurlow: https://www.routledge.com/Machine-Music-How-AI-is-Transforming-Musics-Next-Act/Thurlow/p/book/9781032425242
BOOK: From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World by Michael Sheldrick: https://www.fromideastoimpact.com/
AI and Copyright Blogs:
https://www.gadgetsgigabytesandgoodwill.com/category/ai/
https://www.gadgetsgigabytesandgoodwill.com/2025/11/dr-thaler-is-right-in-part/
https://www.gadgetsgigabytesandgoodwill.com/2025/07/californias-ai-law-has-set-rules-for-generative-ai-are-you-ready/
https://www.gadgetsgigabytesandgoodwill.com/2025/06/copyright-office-firings-spark-constitutional-concerns-amid-ai-policy-tensions/
Newsletter (Article, Video, Podcast): The Human Touch in a Synthetic Age: Why AI-Created Music Raises More Than Just Eyebrows: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/human-touch-synthetic-age-why-ai-created-music-raises-martin-cissp-s9m7e/
Article — Universal and Sony Music partner with new platform to detect AI music copyright theft using ‘groundbreaking neural fingerprinting’ technology: https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/universal-and-sony-music-partner-with-new-platform-to-detect-ai-music-copyright-theft-using-groundbreaking-neural-fingerprinting-technology/
Article: When Virtual Reality Is A Commodity, Will True Reality Come At A Premium: https://sean-martin.medium.com/when-virtual-reality-is-a-commodity-will-true-reality-come-at-a-premium-4a97bccb4d72
Global Citizen: https://www.globalcitizen.org/
Gallo Music (Gallo Records, South Africa): https://www.gallo.co.za/
Global Citizen Festival: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/festival/
Andy Warhol Foundation v. Goldsmith (Shepard Fairey / “Hope” poster context): https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/598/21-869/case.pdf
George R. R. Martin / Authors Guild v. OpenAI (current AI training lawsuit): https://authorsguild.org/news/ag-and-authors-file-class-action-suit-against-openai/
Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc. (2 Live Crew “Pretty Woman”): https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/510/569/
Vanilla Ice / “Under Pressure” Sampling Case: https://blogs.law.gwu.edu/mcir/case/queen-david-bowie-v-vanilla-ice/
MIDiA Research — AI in Music Reports: https://www.midiaresearch.com/reports/ai-and-the-future-of-music-the-future-is-already-here
Merlin (Global Independent Rights Organization): https://www.merlinnetwork.org/
Instagram Reel re: Spotify Terms: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOrgbUNCYj_/
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