While battles are fought over generative AI and fair use in the courtroom, others are negotiating deals in the boardroom for the use of music and artist likenesses in generative AI. This panel will feature companies and rights holders that are dealmaking in the generative AI space. Panelists will share why they chose to enter into these deals, what was at stake, key points of negotiation, and hopes for the future of the space.

Covington and Burling LLP presents a three-panel series featuring dealmakers, artists and lawyers shaping the future of the music industry as they grapple with new technologies in the generative AI, deepfake and synthetic content spaces.

Fireside Chat with Adrian Perry: Adrian Perry will conduct a fireside chat with an industry leader on their unique perspectives on the future of the music industry and the role that generative AI deals, deepfakes, and synthetic content will play in that future.

Dealmaking in Generative AI: While battles are fought over generative AI and fair use in the courtroom, others are negotiating deals in the boardroom for the use of music and artist likenesses in generative AI. This panel will feature companies and rights holders that are dealmaking in the generative AI space. Panelists will share why they chose to enter into these deals, what was at stake, key points of negotiation, and hopes for the future of the space.

Turn and Face the Strange: Impacts of New Deepfake and Synthetic Content Legislation: Laws have been passed, and others are being considered, that are aimed at protecting artists from unauthorized uses of their likeness. Public policy and intellectual property experts will weigh in on how these new and potential laws will affect the music industry and enable new dealmaking for synthetic content.

Adrian Perry will conduct a fireside chat with Melissa Bortnick, Managing Counsel of Music at Epic Games, the publisher of games like Fortnite, Rocket League and Fall Guys, to discuss the evolution of music deals in video games, from the era of commissioning simplistic instrumentals to the more recent licensing of fixed soundtracks to the 2024 launch of Festival, an always-on rotating wheel of interactive music.

In the wake of the initial boom (and bust?) of the NFT market, the metaverse craze that has yet to fully take hold, and the still emerging Web3 movement, this panel takes a look at where we are now in the music space with respect to these technologies. How are the initial deals playing out? Are industry players still bullish on any of these technologies? What disputes and regulatory issues have arisen from these initial deals? What new risks have emerged? And what opportunities lie ahead with respect to these technologies and their relevance to the music industry of the future? This panel will explore those questions and more, collecting perspectives from deal makers, litigators and regulatory attorneys for a wide scale view of where the music industry is and where it can go with these technologies.

Artificial intelligence is here. It already impacts the livelihood of creators and the listening habits of consumers. From generative AI clones of famous artists to playlist decisions to new and expanded modes of fan engagement, AI will significantly impact the music industry. Please join us for a fireside chat with music and technology attorney, Adrian Perry (Covington & Burling), and music tech and AI expert Alisha Outridge (formerly of TuneCore, iHeart, and Meta), addressing how artists today leverage AI during the creative process and how AI will shape music recording and music reproduction now and in the future.

Is the NFT boom over? Or are we just at the beginning? While the NFT market has been volatile, many in the music industry continue to explore opportunities in this space, looking to leverage NFTs and blockchain technology in innovative ways, from content creation and subscription services, music distribution and promotion, and royalty monetization, to fan driven engagement, ticketing, and digital and physical event access. Still, there remains uncertainty on where litigation may arise, and how regulators will deal with this ever-evolving space. This panel will discuss lessons learned in NFT deal-making since the boom started, where the NFT market may go, and where the major risks are at this point. (Mondo attendees are welcome to attend all CLE panels.)

This panel will take a deep dive into recent successful integrations between music and video games. Hear firsthand accounts from our panelists as they take you from the genesis of the concept, through the creative and development process, to the challenges faced and lessons learned. Learn how professionals define and measure successful integrations and explore potential opportunities.

The keynote speakers for the 2021 Mondo.NYC Music & Tech Law Symposium will be the newly-appointed Recording Academy Co-Presidents Valeisha Butterfield Jones and Panos A. Panay, interviewed by noted music and entertainment lawyer Adrian Perry, Partner and Co-Chair of Music Industry Practice at Covington & Burling LLP. In one of their first public appearances together in their new roles, all Mondo.NYC attendees will be treated to an insightful conversation discussing the Recording Academy's® plans to drive innovation and accountability in the organization at 1pm ET on Friday, October 15, the closing day of Mondo’s sixth annual conference.

NFTs continue to present exciting revenue opportunities and novel legal risks for both music industry players and the NFT platforms working with them. This panel will discuss the ever-changing landscape of NFTs in the music industry, touching on the latest developments from a legal perspective, trends in commercial opportunities, and common intellectual property rights and regulatory issues impacting NFT partnerships. This panel will also explore how the NFT explosion may impact royalty and rights tracking in the music industry.

Creative partnerships and integrations are proliferating between the music, video game and esports worlds, a trend more dramatic in the pandemic world. The music industry continues to look for new ways to distribute music and promote artists, particularly in a virtual environment. And video game companies and esports leagues/teams continue to look for ways to promote themselves and drive user participation and viewership. Virtual events, concerts and tours, artist partnerships and other integrations with the gaming world will only continue to grow. This panel will explore the novel issues this convergence presents, including the latest developments in the use and licensing of intellectual property and likeness rights, considerations around technology integration, and data collection.