Podcast Episode 4: When Tech Outpaces Musicians’ Rights: Protecting Human Music in an AI World
In this episode of AI Music Unmuted: Real Talk by RealMusic.ai, we sit down with Ben Porter, musician, producer, and Brand Evangelist at Matchtune, to discuss how AI can protect artists’ rights, bring transparency to music creation, and help shape an ethical framework for the next era of music technology.
At Matchtune, Ben helps lead initiatives designed to bring fairness and clarity to the landscape of AI in music. They have developed tools such as CoverNet and DeepMatch to counteract the unmoderated usage of artists’ IP in AI. CoverNet is a tool that scans platforms for copyright violations and deepfake vocals, while DeepMatch identifies whether a track was AI-generated and where it originated. These tools are redefining how rights holders, publishers, and DSPs can manage and protect music in the age of AI.
Key Topics We Explore
Why consent and opt-in licensing should be the foundation of AI music training
How Matchtune’s tools detect AI-generated tracks, deepfakes, and hidden copyright infringements
The growing divide between tech innovation and creative protection — and how to bridge it
The importance of labeling, transparency, and fair compensation for creators
Whether AI democratizes music or risks oversaturating it
Ben explains that true informed consent means giving artists and rights holders the ability to opt in or out of having their work used to train AI models, and to be compensated fairly when they do. He warns that without this informed consent, musicians are left unfairly competing with systems built on their own creativity.
The conversation also explores how AI is changing the creative balance by lowering barriers to entry while flooding the market with content. Ben acknowledges both sides: AI can empower new artists, but unchecked, it can dilute innovation and make it harder to distinguish human artistry from algorithmic output. As we have already begun to see, the scale is being tilted on the internet in the direction of becoming primarily AI-generated. In turn, AI technology is encouraged to feed off of itself in order to train and gather information.
As licensing frameworks evolve and ethical AI models gain traction, tools like Matchtune’s could pave the way for a more transparent and sustainable ecosystem. This would allow the creators, not code, stay at the center of music, where they belong.
At RealMusic.ai, we believe the future of music belongs to those building it responsibly. This conversation with Ben Porter reminds us that innovation and protection aren’t opposites — they’re both essential for AI to truly serve artists and audiences alike.
Listen to the full episode now on AI Music Unmuted: Real Talk by RealMusic.ai to learn how Matchtune is helping safeguard creativity in the AI era.
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