Copyright and trade in the digital music industry

This chapter describes the digital transition of the global recorded music industry with a focus on how artificial intelligence (AI) has changed the way music is distributed, consumed, and how AI serves as a tool for creating music. The transition has raised questions about what is copyrightable and what constitutes copyright infringements. This debate should shed more light on the rationale for copyright, namely incentives to innovate in competitive markets. The music industry is one of the most global industries in the world despite being excluded from most trade agreements. AI contributes to continual global markets as it helps identify and track recorded music to the benefit of rights holders all over the world. However, with growing tensions between the major players in the digital economy - over AI, privacy, cyber security, among others - music streaming may be caught in the crossfire.