As AI music copyright battles grow, companies are turning to licensed training data. May 13, 2026 3:39 PM As copyright disputes continue to grow around AI-generated music, Sonilo, the world's first professionally licensed video-to-music AI platform, has partnered with Shutterstock to train its models on licensed music catalogs. The agreement gives Sonilo access to Shutterstock's music library for AI model training. According to the companies, it is Shutterstock's first partnership with a video-to-music AI platform and the timing is significant. AI music companies are facing growing pressure over how their systems are trained. Artists and record labels have increasingly challenged the use of copyrighted music in AI datasets, especially when licensing agreements or compensation structures are unclear. That tension has created a divide across the industry. Some companies have continued building models around scraped or disputed data. Others are trying to position licensing as part of the product itself. Sonilo falls into the second group. The company says its models are trained only on licensed material where artists and rights holders have agreed to participate and receive compensation. The Shutterstock partnership strengthens that position while giving Sonilo access to a larger pool of commercially cleared music. The collaboration also points to a broader change happening inside generative AI. As AI tools move into commercial production, companies are being pushed to show not just what their models can generate, but also where their training data comes from. Sonilo's platform is built around video rather than text prompts. The system analyses footage directly, studies pacing and emotional tone, then generates an original soundtrack to match the content. The company says this removes the need for manual music searches, syncing or editing workflows. The generated tracks are cleared for commercial use across social media, branded content and broadcast production. Shawn Song, CEO of Sonilo, said: "Music has always been the last unsolved layer of video creation, and video has always carried its own soundtrack. We built Sonilo to hear it and compose from it, without a single text prompt. But how we build matters as much as what we build. While others have chosen to take artists' work without permission and charge creators for the privilege, we've chosen a different path - one where artists are compensated from day one. Partnering with Shutterstock reflects that standard. Every model we train meets a bar the music industry can stand behind, because the most innovative AI platforms don't have to come at the expense of the artists who make all of these possible." For Shutterstock, the deal expands the company's growing role in generative AI infrastructure. The company has increasingly focused on licensing content for AI systems across images, video and music. Jessica April, Vice President of Data Licensing & AI Services at Shutterstock, said: "AI innovation depends on access to high-quality, rights-cleared content and trusted licensing partnerships. Sonilo's approach reflects the growing demand for responsibly sourced training data and commercially safe AI workflows. We're pleased to support companies building generative AI products with licensed content and scalable data solutions that help accelerate innovation while respecting creators and rights holders." The partnership also comes as Sonilo expands into creator and developer ecosystems. Earlier this month, the company launched as a native node inside ComfyUI, an open-source AI workflow platform used by millions of creators. Sonilo also offers API access for integration into creator tools, video platforms, game engines and other AI systems. As AI-generated music becomes more common across advertising, creator platforms and digital media, the industry's focus is shifting beyond generation alone. Questions around licensing, ownership and compensation are increasingly shaping how AI music companies position themselves and build trust with creators. Hong Kong AI biotech startup METiS TechBio draws major investor demand in IPO. METiS TechBio's blockbuster IPO signals rising investor interest in AI startups focused on how drugs are delivered inside the body May 14, 2026 3:02 PM Investors are beginning to place bigger bets on AI startups focused on drug delivery infrastructure rather than drug discovery alone. That shift was on display this week after METiS TechBio, a Hong Kong tech-bio startup focused on AI-powered drug delivery systems, debuted on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The listing made METiS TechBio the world's first publicly traded AI-powered drug delivery startup and the first AI-powered large-molecule biopharmaceutical startup listed in Hong Kong. The startup raised more than HKD 2.1 billion through its IPO, making it the largest healthcare listing in Hong Kong so far in 2026. Investor demand was unusually strong. The Hong Kong public offering was oversubscribed by more than 6,900 times while the international tranche recorded 82 times oversubscription. More than 280 institutional investors participated in the international placing. The strong demand reflects a wider shift in AI biotech. Over the past few years, much of the sector's attention has focused on using AI to discover new drugs or molecules. METiS is taking a different approach. The startup focuses on how medicines are delivered inside the body after they are developed. That challenge is becoming harder to ignore in biotech. Designing a therapy is only one part of the process. Delivering it precisely to specific organs, tissues or cells remains a major hurdle, especially for newer therapies involving RNA, proteins and large-molecule drugs. METiS is trying to solve that problem through its proprietary NanoForge platform. The system uses AI to design and test nanodelivery systems that help medicines reach targeted areas inside the body more efficiently. The platform combines AI models, simulation systems and high-throughput screening tools to speed up formulation development and improve delivery precision. The startup says it has already achieved targeted delivery across eight organs and tissue systems including the liver, lungs, heart, muscles and central nervous system. One of its lead programs, MTS-004, became China's first AI-enabled formulation drug to complete a Phase III clinical trial. The drug is being developed for pseudobulbar affect, a neurological condition that affects emotional expression. According to the startup, AI tools helped reduce preclinical formulation development time from up to two years to less than three months. Investor interest in the IPO also came from some of the world's largest asset managers and healthcare funds. BlackRock led the cornerstone investments with a USD 50 million subscription. Other participating investors included UBS Asset Management Singapore, Mirae Asset, ORIX Corporation, Deerfield, RTW, Hillhouse Capital and IDG Capital. METiS is also building what it describes as a "platform collaboration + product partnership" business model. The startup currently works with more than 30 pharmaceutical and biotechnology partners globally, including large pharmaceutical companies and medical research institutions. The company reported RMB 105 million in revenue in 2025, largely tied to upfront payments connected to its MTS-004 partnership agreements. It also said some platform collaboration contracts could reach milestone values of up to USD 109 million. Chris Lai said: "The future of biomedicine will no longer be simply about 'taking medicine when one falls ill.' METiS TechBio's ambition is to harness AI to build nano-rockets that can navigate with precision through the inner space of the human body's 30 trillion cells, write the code of nucleic acids and proteins into cells, and reprogram diseased and aging cells into healthy cells. This was our founding aspiration, and it is the mission to which we will dedicate our lives. The IPO marks a new starting point for us to accelerate forward, and we will strive to live up to the support and trust we have received from all sectors." The IPO also highlights how Hong Kong is increasingly positioning itself as a hub for next-generation biotech and AI healthcare startups. While investor excitement around AI drug discovery has cooled in parts of the market, startups focused on delivery systems and biotech infrastructure are beginning to attract stronger institutional backing. For METiS, the challenge now will be turning that investor confidence into commercially viable therapies and long-term partnerships. But the listing suggests that AI-driven drug delivery is starting to emerge as a category investors are willing to treat as core biotech infrastructure rather than a niche research experiment.

Shutterstock Studios joins forces with the carvana(r) PPA Tour ON PARTNERS, the first hybrid format to go behind the scenes of Professional Pickleball, America's fastest-growing sport. PR Newswire Today at 10:07am PDT Premiering May 5 on Prime Video in the U.S., the Carvana(R) PPA Tour YouTube Channel and PickleballTV, PARTNERS Is the Latest Addition to Shutterstock Studios' Expanding Long-Form Documentary Slate Official Trailer HERE Download Key Art and Series Imagery HERE NEW YORK, April 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Shutterstock Studios, the global production and creative services division of Shutterstock, Inc., today announced the premiere of PARTNERS, a six-part reality and sports crossover docuseries produced in partnership with the Carvana(R) PPA (Professional Pickleball Association) Tour, offering the first-ever on- and off-court look behind the scenes of professional pickleball. The series premieres Tuesday, May 5 on Prime Video in the U.S. at no additional cost with a Prime membership, the Carvana(R) PPA Tour YouTube Channel and PickleballTV, with all episodes dropping at once. PARTNERS represents Shutterstock Studios' commitment to premium storytelling, leveraging a brand-funded entertainment model that bridges Carvana(R) and the PPA Tour's brand objectives with authentic content built for mainstream audiences. The project is made possible by Carvana(R)'s willingness to take risks and support culturally relevant stories, particularly across sports. The series launches with multi-platform distribution and an on-air cast of more than 25 players, coaches and executives at the center of the sport's defining season. Gaining extraordinary access across one full season of the Carvana(R) PPA Tour, PARTNERS pulls back the curtain on a league often described as a traveling university: players train together, party together, date each other and show up at the same hotel the morning after a loss, a breakup or a contract dispute. Less than five years since its founding, the league faces its most consequential season yet as payout structures change, newcomers topple legacy players and major sponsors become a fixture in a sport now played in 78 countries, with 19.8 million players in America alone, and prize money for professional athletes exceeding $30 million annually. "Pickleball is certainly having a moment, but most people still haven't seen what it actually feels like inside that world," says Mark Infante, Executive Producer, Shutterstock Studios. "The access we received from the Carvana(R) PPA Tour changed everything, placing us directly within the action - close to the players, decisions and the dynamics. That level of access only happens through trust and when a brand is part of the story from the start. We're telling real stories that core fans will recognize immediately, and new audiences can jump in without needing a primer." "Our partnership with the PPA has given us a front-row seat to one of the fastest-growing sports in the country," says Ryan Keeton, Chief Brand Officer at Carvana(R). "PARTNERS is a natural next step, offering fans a deeper look at the players and stories driving that growth. It's an exciting way for us to continue building with the tour and connect with the community in a more meaningful way." "The Carvana(R) PPA Tour continues to showcase professional pickleball on the world's biggest stages, and PARTNERS gives the world a front-row seat to everything that goes on behind the scenes - the drama, the competition, the passion and much more," says Connor Pardoe, Founder and CEO of the Carvana(R) PPA Tour. "Pickleball is exploding, and Mark, Dan and their team have delivered a series that meets it head on as they share these amazing stories with the world. PARTNERS is produced by Shutterstock Studios in association with Wavelength. Executive producers include Mark Infante, Michele Gauthier, Aiden Darne and Jon Weidman. Dan Bradley (Sprint) serves as showrunner. PARTNERS marks a milestone in Shutterstock Studios' growing project slate, which spans commercial production, branded content and premium documentary programming across TV, film and social. Recent projects include We Are King (Olympic Channel) and the Cannes Lions shortlisted documentary Surfing Through the Odds in partnership with Betclic. The global production studio has been at the forefront of tech-enabled storytelling and continues to expand its capabilities in creative production and innovative formats. About the Carvana(R) PPA Tour The Professional Pickleball Association Tour (PPA), sponsored by Carvana(R), is professional pickleball's premier league, co-founded by Connor Pardoe and Conner Ogden in 2019. The Carvana(R) PPA has grown to more than 170 contracted players competing across 25 annual events, with prize money in the tens of millions of dollars. The sport is now played in 78 countries. About Carvana Carvana's mission is to change the way people buy and sell cars. Since launching in 2013, more than 4 million customers have chosen Carvana's leading automotive e-commerce experience to shop, sell, finance, and trade in vehicles entirely online, with the convenience of delivery or local pickup as soon as the same day. Carvana's unique offering is powered by its passionate team, differentiated national infrastructure, and purpose-built technology. About Shutterstock Studios Shutterstock Studios is an award-winning global content engine that develops, produces and distributes premium series, documentaries and branded entertainment designed to extend brand narratives beyond traditional campaigns, push the boundaries of storytelling and move audiences. Combining global first-in-class creativity, agility and next-generation production tools - including a robust suite of AI services for hyperscalers and global brands - Shutterstock Studios delivers work that performs in market, scales globally and never loses sight of the brand. Recognized by the Clios, the Webbys, the Anthem and Cannes Lions Awards, Shutterstock provides the expertise and reach expected at the highest levels of the industry. About Wavelength Wavelength is a globally recognized independent studio with a long list of industry recognition - including Emmys, Tonys, Grammy nominations, and Oscar shortlists. Wavelength's diverse portfolio includes Academy Award(R)-shortlisted 32 SOUNDS, Netflix's RATHER, Venice winner THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ON SWIFT HORSES, Emmy winners FEELS GOOD MAN, ART AND KRIMES BY KRIMES as well as the beloved WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR. Theater credits include Tony-winning The Outsiders, Tony-nominated The Who's Tommy and Here Lies Love, and Burlesque. In 2025, Wavelength cemented its commitment to sports and branded entertainment by acquiring Duplex Deli, the production agency founded by Dan Bradley and Jon Weidman. Wavelength's branded content division brings film-level craft to brand storytelling, partnering with leading brands such as HOKA, Marriott, lululemon, MINI, Uber Eats, Nike, Adidas, and Pepsi. Wavelength was recently honored with 13 Telly Awards, including two gold awards for HOKA's "Humans of HOKA" and three gold awards for De Beers' "Talent Unearthed." This is a paid placement. For further inquiries, please contact PR Newswire directly.