2024 "Greatest Hits" - The Stories That Mattered Most To You
Key GenAI Media & Entertainment Headlines (Plus a Surprise for You Music Fans)
Happy Holidays! Here’s my special “brAIn dump” gift to you, my dear readers (to enjoy in those moments where you need — and deserve! — some “me” time). Today’s is a recap/rewind of the biggest AI media stories of 2024. Next Monday, the 30th, it’s my annual predictions, v.2025. These two holiday editions should give you the prep you need to come out swinging in the new year (and to sound smart for your upcoming AI conversations at CES which are coming sooner than you think!).
Speaking of CES, there’s still time to schedule meetings. Reach out! I’ll be there Jan 5th-9th.
I’m also moderating an AI panel at Digital Hollywood on January 6th, titled “AI and the Crisis of Creative Rights: Deep Fakes, Ethics & the Law”. Reach out to me if you want to meet either on January 6th, 7th or 8th - peter@creativemedia.biz.
I. 2024’s Greatest Hits (As Determined By You)
These are my “Top 10” articles and generative AI/media stories of the year in terms of numbers of views, shares and overall importance:
#1: “No, AI Copying Is Not the Same as Human ‘Copying’ (& Substantial Similarity Isn’t Needed)” (link to article is here). I feel this resonated so much with all of you, given how critical the evolving legal landscape is — and how court decisions will transform the media and entertainment industry (and our lives).
#2: “$1 Trillion for Generative AI: So Where Are the Content Dollars” (link here). I’m gratified that this article mattered so much to so many of you, because it mattered so much to me in writing it — and identifying the tremendous disparity in how the media world values its content compared to how tech companies value that content, which is the essential foundational ingredient that gives generative AI tech its commercial utility. I feel this is one of my most important pieces of the year.
#3: “Are Tech's Generative AI ‘Fair Use’ Dominoes Starting to Fall?” (link here). These initial dominoes are a harbinger of things to come in 2025, when the federal courts will begin to make their initial “fair use” rulings. Spoiler alert. I predict those rulings will come down squarely on the side of content rights-holders.
#4: “Prepare to Have Your Mind Blown! (Watch This Video to See How Generative AI Will Upend Hollywood & Madison Avenue)” (link here). We can always write and talk about it. But it’s absolutely critical to actually see generative AI in action in order to fully internalize how impactful and transformational it will be.
#5: “Perplexity's Use of ‘RAG’ Opens Up 3 Paths to Copyright Infringement” (link here). Another important piece, where I synthesized the voices of leading experts — who opened my eyes to the fact that 3 obvious paths to infringement exist, not just 2.
#6: “The Generative AI ‘Watch List’: 10 Tech Companies for Media & Entertainment to Closely Track” (link here). These are the ones that, at least at the time, were most “problematic” from a media/entertainment perspective. I’m glad to see that some of them are now actively seeking to license from rights-holders. Shining the spotlight on them matters.
#7: “The Media & Entertainment Industry Can Learn About Its Future From Its Napster-ized Past” (link here). Past is frequently prologue — and it is here in the generative AI world, where Big Tech once again relentlessly marches forward without sufficient regard to copyright holders (in other words, we’ve seen this movie before).
#8: “Judge May Decide Generative AI's ‘Fair Use’ Defense Pre-Trial” (link here). In fact, I expect this to happen in 2025 — when federal courts will make their first “fair use” decisions. Note my spoiler alert above in #3.
#9: “‘Big Tech’ v. ‘Big Media’ - The Great Generative AI Copyright Infringement Debate! (Is It, or Isn't It Infringement?)” (link here). I debate expert Robert Tercek and take the side of media/entertainment on the issue of consent and compensation; whereas Tercek takes the side of Big Tech and their “fair use” arguments. The end result is entertaining and frequently spicy (you can also listen to it here).
#10: “Big Tech: Too Big To f-AI-l? Why Even VC-Backed GenAI "Unicorns" Can't Compete” (link here). Even tens of millions of VC dollars can’t compete with the tens of BILLIONS of dollars being invested by the usual Big Tech suspects.
Check Out My Companion “the brAIn” Podcast
My “the brAIn” podcast features my exclusive interviews with leading executives, innovators and companies in the world of generative AI — and tackles the big issues. There’s something for everyone here. It’s your new companion for holiday dog walks! (You can find it also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other major platforms).
Check Out My Music Podcast “The Story Behind The Song” - My Interviews with the Most Iconic & Legendary Artists of the Past Several Decades
Don’t know about you, but music — next to my family and friends (and you, my readers of course!) — is everything to me. It’s my passion. My therapy. My soul. If any of that resonates with you too, then you’ll love my “The Story Behind The Song” music podcast on Consequence. I interview the most iconic and legendary artists of all time about their most iconic songs. I now have 50+ EXCLUSIVE interviews in the banks — and the list of icons (and their musical journeys, in their own words) will likely amaze you.
From 60’s legends like Don McLean (“American Pie”) and Graham Nash (“Teach Your Children”):
To 70’s classics like Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mack (“Tusk”), Nancy Wilson of Heart (“Crazy on You'“), and Nick Mason of Pink Floyd (“Time”):
To a heavy dose of New Wave and Rock in the 80’s with icons like Debbie Harry of Blondie (“Rapture”), Darryl McDaniels of Run-DMC (“It’s Tricky”), Stewart Copeland of The Police (“Roxanne”), Lol Tolhurst of The Cure (“Boys Don’t Cry”), Billy Idol (“White Wedding”), Kate Pierson of The B-52’s (“Love Shack”), Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears (“Mad World”), Boy George (“Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?”), Joe Elliott of Def Leppard (“Pour Some Sugar on Me”), and even the great Rick Astley, of course! (“Never Gonna Give You Up”).
To 90’s breakouts like Bruce Vig (producer of Nirvana’s classic “Smells Like Teen Spirit”), Jewel (“Who Will Save Your Soul?”), and Shirley Manson of Garbage (“Only Happy When It Rains”).
To the 00’s with Moby (“Extreme Ways”) and the band Incubus (“Drive”).
And to the present day with artists like Brandon Flowers of The Killers (“All These Things That I’ve Done”), James Mercer of The Shins (“New Slang”), Zedd (“Clarity”), and my personal favorite Andy Hull of Manchester Orchestra (“The Silence”).
They’re all here. Exclusively. And the stories behind these iconic songs — as told by the artists themselves — are priceless … and timeless. Check them out via this link (also available on your favorite podcast platform).
One Final Recommended Podcast Episode - Scott Galloway of “The Prof G Pod”
We all “take stock” in our lives as we approach the end of the year — and anticipate the coming of a new year. It’s the universal human condition to look back fondly on memorable moments — but also to look back with regret on moments lost or moments we wish we could have had (but didn’t, for one reason or another). If this resonates with you, then I urge you listen to this year-end episode where Scott Galloway discusses “How Regret Motivates Us” with Daniel Pink, the author of The New York Times bestselling book “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.” Click on the button below to listen to it on Apple Podcasts.
Next Monday, 12/30, It’s My Predictions for 2025
AI never sleeps (nor do I, enough!). So stay tuned for next Monday’s post-Xmas newsletter where I lay out my predictions for generative AI and media/entertainment for the new year. Until then, Happy Holidays!
Reach out to me at peter@creativemedia.biz
II. AI Litigation Tracker: Updates on Key AI Infringement Cases (by McKool Smith)
Partner Avery Williams and the team at McKool Smith (named “Plaintiff IP Firm of the Year” by The National Law Journal) lay out the facts of — and latest critical developments in — the key generative AI/media infringement cases listed below via this link to the “AI Litigation Tracker”.
(1) Raw Story Media v. OpenAI (about which I wrote at length a couple weeks back via this link)
(2) The Center for Investigative Reporting v. OpenAI
(2) Dow Jones, et al. v. Perplexity AI (about which I wrote at length a couple weeks back via this link)
(3) The New York Times v. Microsoft & OpenAI
(4) Sarah Silverman v. OpenAI (class action)
(5) Sarah Silverman, et al. v. Meta (class action)
(6) UMG Recordings v. Suno
(7) UMG Recordings v. Uncharted Labs (d/b/a Udio)
(8) Getty Images v. Stability AI and Midjourney
(9) Universal Music Group, et al. v. Anthropic
(10) Sarah Anderson v. Stability AI
(11) Authors Guild et al. v. OpenAI
NOTE: Go to the “AI Litigation Tracker” tab at the top of “the brAIn” website for the full discussions and analyses of these and other key generative AI/media litigations. And reach out to me, Peter Csathy (peter@creativemedia.biz), if you would like to be connected to McKool Smith) to discuss these and other legal and litigation issues. I’ll make the introduction.
Now you can follow me on BlueSky Social via this link.
You can also continue to follow my longer daily posts on LinkedIn via this link.
Your greatest hits will only be surpassed by your predictions for 2025. I always enjoy seeing the brAIn in my inbox.