As the 2024 U.S. election unfolds, one of the biggest threats facing the music industry isn't the outcome of the vote but the influence of Big Tech on music itself. Behind closed doors, powerful tech companies are quietly shaping laws to serve their own interests, pushing for fewer restrictions on AI-generated content—even if it means sidestepping copyright protections.
A look at the website OpenSecrets reveals the scale of Big Tech’s influence. For example, tech investment firm Andreessen Horowitz has donated a staggering $53 million to campaigns this election cycle. The bulk of this support has gone toward a PAC that advocates for lighter regulations on crypto and AI. The firm is also a key investor in companies like Udio, a generative AI platform that produces music by using copyrighted songs to train its algorithms. This approach, they argue, falls under “fair use”—a claim that raises alarms among music rightsholders.
Other tech giants like Google are pushing similar agendas. Google has even called for “text and data mining” exceptions that would allow AI systems to ingest copyrighted content without the explicit consent of rights holders. Across the Atlantic, the UK’s newly elected government is also cozying up to Big Tech, hinting at loosening copyright laws for AI.
These moves signal a troubling trend: Big Tech’s pursuit of innovation may come at the cost of artists' rights and the creative integrity of music itself. No matter who wins this election, the battle for the soul of music may already be lost if Big Tech has its way.
