📍 SIGNAL Federal prosecutors just secured a guilty plea in the first-ever U.S. criminal case involving AI-assisted music streaming fraud. (Music Business Worldwide) A North Carolina man, Michael Smith, admitted to running a scheme where he used AI to generate hundreds of thousands of songs, then deployed bot networks to stream them billions of times across platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music. (Department of Justice) The result: over $8 million in stolen royalties that should have gone to real artists. (Music Business Worldwide) This is not theory anymore. AI was used to mass-produce music at scale, and automation was used to simulate listeners. The system paid out as if it were real demand. 📂 PATTERN We have now seen three layers of the same shift: 1. AI trains on music without permission 2. AI generates music at scale 3. AI + bots exploit payout systems This case is the first time all three collided into a criminal conviction path. Streaming platforms operate on a shared royalty pool, meaning fake streams do not just create fake success - they pull money away from real creators. (Lewis Silkin) 🚨 PRESSURE POINTS (PROBLEMS BEING OVERLOOKED) - Royalty dilution at scale. Fraud does not just inflate numbers; it redistributes income away from legitimate creators. - AI volume abuse. The scheme only worked because AI could generate a massive catalog volume fast. - Detection limits. Fraud was spread across thousands of songs to avoid triggering platform alarms. (Department of Justice) - System vulnerability. Streaming payouts are not built for a world where content and consumption can both be automated.

Great deep dive into the world of sync music in today’s NY Times. Here’s a gift link: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/10/magazine/sync-music-songwriters-video.html?unlocked_article_code=1.SVA.C9bu.dZwBxiswciwi&smid=nytcore-ios-share

I’m fortunate to spend my time, amongst other things, teaching workshops, running one-on-one coaching, and working directly with creators who want to grow in visual media. PTN EA - is my way of bringing that same experience to a wider circle - my communities - in a way that’s structured, ongoing, and built to last. Every course here is designed to pull back the curtain on how music really works in picture - from concept to delivery - and give you tools you can apply to your own work immediately. ---- JUST in case you are new here, you can find a bit more about ME HERE <--------- -- We will start to run two tiers side-by-side: Pulse Tier (Free) Your open-access starting point. Core lessons, examples, and exercises you can use right away. A clear view of the process, the concepts, and the mindset that drive successful work in visual media. Broadcast Tier (Premium) Coming soon For serious creators ready to level up. Broadcast takes the same topics you see in Pulse and goes in-depth: full creative workflows, real briefs, case studies, feedback loops, and live working sessions. A mix of academia and industry experience, aimed at preparing you to work at a professional level. When Broadcast launches, every new course will drop in both tiers at the same time -- Pulse for the essentials, -- Broadcast for the complete system. --- Visual Media 101 — Pulse vs Broadcast (What’s the difference, why it exists, and how to try both) --- Both modules are live now: - PULSE - BROADCAST (Preview) While we’re building Broadcast, you can preview it here through selected modules and lessons. Think of it as a window into the deeper training, collaborations, and project opportunities that will roll out in the premium tier.

Wednesday, March 11th @ 7pm Hosted by @Nate Michalic Focused on music for visual media, film, TV, trailers, and branded content. Submit purpose-driven cues built for picture/visual media. JOIN US AT 7 pm TONIGHT! See you There https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89476999781 -