Technology

AI music startups say copyright violation is just rock and roll

Published

2 hours ago

August 2, 2024

AI music startups say copyright violation is just rock and roll

Several weeks after being targeted with copyright infringement lawsuits, AI music startups Suno and Udio have now accused the record labels that filed them of attempting to stifle competition within the music industry. Both companies admitted to training their music-generating AI models on copyrighted materials in separate legal filings, arguing that doing so is lawful under fair-use doctrine.

The lawsuits against Suno and Udio were raised in June by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), a group representing major record labels like Universal Music Group (UMG), Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Records. Both cases accuse Suno and Udio of committing “copyright infringement involving unlicensed copying of sound recordings on a massive scale.” The RIAA is seeking damages of up to $150,000 for every work infringed.

Udio’s and Suno’s AI music generation tools allow users to produce songs by typing in written descriptions. According to the RIAA, some of these tracks contain vocals that sound identical to those by famous artists like Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, and ABBA. In May, Suno said that its music generator had been used 12 million times since it was rolled out in December 2023.

In their responses, both Suno and Udio say the lawsuits highlight the music industry’s opposition to competition. “Helping people generate new artistic expression is what copyright law is designed to encourage, not prohibit,” Udio wrote in its filing. “Under longstanding doctrine, what Udio has done — use existing sound recordings as data to mine and analyze for the purpose of identifying patterns in the sounds of various musical styles, all to enable people to make their own new creations — is a quintessential ‘fair use’ under copyright law.”

In a blog post accompanying its own filing, Suno said that major record labels had misconceptions about how its AI music tools work, likening its model training to “a kid learning to write new rock songs by listening religiously to rock music” as opposed to just copying and repeating copyrighted tracks. Suno also admitted to training its model on online music, noting that other AI providers like OpenAI, Google, and Apple also source their training data from the open internet.

“Learning is not infringing. It never has been, and it is not now.”

“Much of the open internet indeed contains copyrighted materials, and some of it is owned by major record labels,” Suno said in the blog. ”Learning is not infringing. It never has been, and it is not now.”

In a statement to Music Ally responding to Suno’s and Udio’s filings, the RIAA said that the companies failed to obtain appropriate consent to use copyrighted works before bringing their tools to market, unlike competing services like YouTube. “There’s nothing fair about stealing an artist’s life’s work, extracting its core value, and repackaging it to compete directly with the originals,” said the RIAA. “Their vision of the ‘future of music’ is apparently one in which fans will no longer enjoy music by their favorite artists because those artists can no longer earn a living.”

Technology

Building-in-a-box transforms into a portable tiny home in minutes

Published

2 hours ago

August 2, 2024

Press Room

Building-in-a-box transforms into a portable tiny home in minutes

Are you a camper looking to upgrade your camping space and explore the great outdoors in comfort? Or perhaps you’re seeking a mobile office solution that can be set up anywhere? Or maybe you’re an emergency responder in need of quick, reliable shelter in disaster zones? The CMAX System just might be for you.

This innovative “building-in-a-box” transforms from a compact, easily transportable unit into a spacious portable shelter in just minutes. It is designed to provide a home-like experience wherever your adventures take you. So, whether you’re setting up camp in the mountains or providing emergency shelter after a disaster, CMAX has got you covered.

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Compact box unfolds into spacious shelter. (CMAX System)

Unpacking the CMAX: What’s in the box?

Imagine a structure that’s 19.6 feet long, 7.4 feet wide, and 7.2 feet high. Now, picture that entire thing folding down into an approximately 400-pound box that can fit in the back of your pickup or on a trailer. That’s the CMAX for you. It’s a solid-floored unit that’s also an easily relocatable temporary building.

Compact box unfolds into spacious shelter. (CMAX System)

THE BEST TRAVEL GEAR FOR 2024

From box to building in 11 minutes flat

This isn’t some flimsy pop-up tent. The CMAX is a robust structure that two people can set up in just 11 minutes without any special tools. It’s raised off the ground with 20 height-adjustable feet, making it stable on most relatively flat surfaces. The telescopic legs can handle height differences of up to 5 in from one end to the other. It expands from a 3-foot storage space to a 14-foot living space that is able to comfortably sleep eight people.

Compact box unfolds into spacious shelter. (CMAX System)

BEST TRAVEL ADAPTERS OF 2024

Versatility is its middle name

The CMAX System is a jack-of-all-trades. It can serve as a temporary storage unit, a mobile medical clinic or laboratory, or even provide a luxurious glamping experience. Its rigid central structure allows for some serious upgrades.

Compact box unfolds into spacious shelter. (CMAX System)

The latest in the CMAX lineup, the CX20 units, are taking portable living to the next level. With high ceilings, cross ventilation, and a spacious feel, these units are designed for comfort without sacrificing functionality.

Compact box unfolds into spacious shelter. (CMAX System)

You can add solar panels for off-grid power, install air conditioning for those hot summer days, and even include a water treatment unit for clean water anywhere. It also comes with a motion sensor and lockable door for security.

Compact box unfolds into spacious shelter. (CMAX System)

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Tech-savvy shelter: The future of CMAX

CMAX isn’t just resting on its laurels. They’re developing a SmartCmax mobile app that will connect to your iPhone and other iOS devices using Bluetooth. This will allow you to control your portable shelter from your smartphone.

SmartCmax app (CMAX System)

The price tag: Too good to be true?

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The CMAX System is priced at $8,000. But don’t go rushing to their website with your credit card just yet. The buying process is a bit… unconventional. When you try to buy a CMAX, they might try to sell you shares in the company instead. Odd? Yes. But don’t worry, you can still get your hands on one without becoming a shareholder. Just be prepared for a unique shopping experience.

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Compact box unfolds into spacious shelter. (CMAX System)

More than just a product: The CMAX Foundation

Here’s a heartwarming twist for every 10 CMAX units sold, one is donated to the CMAX Foundation for use in refugee camps or disaster sites. Your glamping adventure could help provide shelter for those who really need it. The CMAX Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, focuses on natural disaster relief and refugee support.

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Compact box unfolds into spacious shelter. (CMAX System)

Kurt’s key takeaways

The CMAX System is undoubtedly an innovative solution to portable housing. Its versatility, ease of setup and durability make it an attractive option for a wide range of uses – from casual camping to emergency disaster relief. The high ceilings, cross ventilation and potential for add-ons like solar panels and A/C units set it apart from traditional portable shelters.

Whether it’s the future of portable housing or just a really cool concept, one thing’s for sure – the CMAX System is pushing the boundaries of what we think is possible in portable shelter design. From its tool-free assembly to its potential for high-tech upgrades, CMAX is redefining what it means to have a home away from home.

How might the concept of easily deployable structures like the CMAX System change the future of travel, or even remote work? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Intel’s crashing 13th and 14th Gen CPUs get two additional years of warranty coverage

Published

9 hours ago

August 2, 2024

Press Room

Intel’s crashing 13th and 14th Gen CPUs get two additional years of warranty coverage

Intel is committed to making sure all customers who have or are currently experiencing instability symptoms on their 13th and/or 14th Gen desktop processors are supported in the exchange process. We stand behind our products, and in the coming days we will be sharing more details on two-year extended warranty support for our boxed Intel Core 13th and 14th Gen desktop processors.

In the meantime, if you are currently or previously experienced instability symptoms on your Intel Core 13th/14th Gen desktop system:

For users who purchased systems from OEM/System Integrators – please reach out to your system manufacturer’s support team for further assistance.

For users who purchased a boxed CPU – please reach out to Intel Customer Support for further assistance.

Intel is also investigating options to easily identify affected processors on end user systems and will provide additional guidance as soon as possible.

At the same time, we apologize for the delay in communications as this has been a challenging issue to unravel and definitively root cause.

Technology

Net neutrality is on ice

Published

17 hours ago

August 1, 2024

Press Room

Net neutrality is officially on hold after the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the rule from taking effect.

The court granted a stay, extending an earlier temporary pause. This time, net neutrality will be blocked until the court says otherwise after reviewing the petitions from broadband providers who opposed the rule. Those internet service providers (ISPs) successfully showed they would likely succeed on the merits of their challenge, the panel of judges wrote.

“The American public wants an internet that is fast, open, and fair,” Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement on the stay. “Today’s decision by the Sixth Circuit is a setback but we will not give up the fight for net neutrality.”

The FCC voted to restore net neutrality rules earlier this year, after years of back and forth on the rule. Net neutrality is the concept that ISPs shouldn’t discriminate against different websites by blocking or throttling speeds or access. The controversial part of the policy is the mechanism by which the FCC has tried to enforce these rules: by reclassifying ISPs as common carriers under Title II of the Communications Act. ISPs have resisted this reclassifying in large part because they say it could lead to even greater government control over their businesses that they say would stifle innovation. For example, they say the classification could be used to impose price regulations, though the FCC has said it’s not planning on it.

In a concurring opinion, Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton writes that the FCC’s flip-flopping on net neutrality between administrations makes it difficult to even apply the lower standard of Skidmore deference, thought to potentially be a fallback now that agencies can no longer rely on Chevron deference. Citing Skidmore, Sutton writes, “An agency’s power to persuade turns on the thoroughness of its reasoning, its technical expertise, and its ‘consistency with earlier and later pronouncements,’” especially those contemporaneous with the statute’s enactment,” he writes. “The problem is, we do not know which group of experts to respect.”

He adds, “The consistency query makes matters worse. The Commission’s ‘intention to reverse course for yet a fourth time’ suggests that its reasoning has more to do with changing presidential administrations than with arriving at the true and durable ‘meaning of the law.’”