Thoughts on the Ownership of Generative Music
Say you write a song, and show your friend how to play it. Your friend records himself performing it and makes $10,000 by selling the recording. Are you owed anything?
Say you build a music box which plays an original piece of music. You give this music box to your friend. Your friend records the music and makes $10,000 by selling the recording. Are you owed anything?
Say you build another music box which plays ten original pieces of music. You give this new music box to your friend. Your friend records the music and makes $10,000 by selling the recordings. Are you owed anything?
Say the music box can play a thousand pieces of music, or a million, or a billion. Your friend records the music and makes $10,000 by selling the recordings. Are you owed anything?
Say you build another music box which changes itself each time it’s played. This music box can play an infinite amount of original music. You give this music box to your friend. Your friend records the music and makes $10,000 by selling the recordings. Are you owed anything?
Say you build some wind chimes and give them to your friend. Your friend hangs them up, records the music, and makes $10,000 by selling the recording. Are you owed anything?
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