Google has teamed up with Universal Music Group (UMG) to develop a licensing system for AI-generated songs, aiming to revolutionize the music industry’s approach to artist compensation. According to Financial Times, the collaboration between the tech giant and the world’s largest music company will create a fair and transparent way for artists to be paid for their work, even when their voices are used in AI-generated music.
Under the proposed system, artists will grant Google and Universal a license to use their voices for AI-generated songs. In return, they will receive a share of the royalties generated by those songs. The amount of royalties will be determined based on several factors, including the popularity of the song and the duration of the artist’s voice being utilized.
UMG sees this partnership as a significant opportunity for its artists and fans alike. The company plans to provide Google with access to the voices of some of its most iconic and influential artists, such as Ariana Grande, Drake, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and The Weeknd. UMG also reassures artists that they will be fairly compensated for the use of their voices and that their creative rights will be respected.
If the collaboration moves forward, it could signify a breakthrough in understanding the role of data and AI in the future. Currently, generative AI solutions often scrape data without proper accreditation or compensation. Whether it’s chatbots, AI coding tools, image generators, or AI audio, they tend to use patched-together content from various sources.
While generative AI solutions like chatbots and image creators have become mainstream, audio AI is growing at a slower pace. Nevertheless, tech companies are closely studying and investing in this market. Meta, for example, recently launched its AudioCraft AI platform, which allows users to create their own music and audio content with the help of advanced AI models.
With AudioCraft, users can generate new sounds and compositions based on their choices and inputs. They have options for genre, mood, instrument, and effect, or the ability to use their own audio files and recordings as AI sources. Whether it’s for a podcast, video, game, advertisement, or personal enjoyment, AudioCraft aims to assist users in producing the desired music or audio. The platform also enables users to share their work with others or download it for personal use.
This collaboration between Google and UMG brings the potential for positive change to the music industry, offering a fairer compensation model for artists while allowing AI to learn from their styles and expressions. It is a step toward addressing the controversy surrounding how generative AI acquires and uses content. The focus on audio AI reflects the growing interest in this field among tech companies. Overall, this partnership shows promise for a more equitable and innovative music landscape in the future.
