Photo Credit: ELLA DON
Discord has taken action against a server with over 500,000 members for generative AI voice modeling. The move comes after the RIAA prompted action.
In June 2023, the RIAA contacted Discord and asked it to shut down a server called ‘AI Hub,’ at the time a place where 145,000 members shared and distributed copyrighted music. The June 14 subpoena named several instances in which copyrighted music was shared with the model including “Whenever, Wherever” by Shakira, “Always Be My Baby” by Mariah Carey, and many more.
Songs from 50 Cent, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Olivia Rodrigo, Bruno Mars, Logic, Rihanna, Madonna, Shawn Mendes, Stevie Wonder, Ludacris, Ariana Grande and more are cited on the legal document. “We have learned that Discord is operating and/or hosting the below-referenced Discord servers on its network,” that document reads. “This server(s) is/are dedicated to infringing our members’ copyrighted sound recordings by offering, selling, linking to, hosting, streaming, or distributing files containing members’ sound recordings without authorization.”
That subpoena gave Discord until June 30 to respond, either to oppose the request or to provide information about the infringers. In the months since then, the ‘AI Hub’ Discord server grew to over 500,000 people. Now the server has suddenly shut down with no word from Discord or the owners whether the shut down was in compliance with the RIAA complaint.
As quickly as a hydra head is vanquished, a new AI Hub server has surfaced allowing users looking for a new home to recalibrate. “AI Hub was banned because of copyright, apparently someone did the trick of editing posts and added several links with copyrighted content, which left Discord with no option but to DMCA the server,” someone on this replacement server announced.
“The owner, menhguin was also banned, so it’s quite possible the server won’t come back. All progress/history from the other server has been lost,” the post continues. It’s unclear just how much shutting down a single discord server will do to stop these AI language models from creating songs. And as the server contributor count rises, it’s impossible to police what 500,000 people post 24/7.
