Spotify moves further into AI music with Sony, Universal, Warner

Spotify announced on Thursday that it would become a partner sony Music Group, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Groupalongside independent licensing agency Merlin and digital music company Believe to create “responsible” AI products.

Spotify said, although the company hasn’t confirmed any specific AI tools being developed: in one version It said it was making “significant investments in AI research and product development,” including a new AI research lab and product team.

“Artificial intelligence is the most important technology change since the smartphone and is already reshaping the way music is created and experienced,” co-chairman Gustav Söderström said in a statement. he said. “At Spotify, we want to build this future by joining hands with the music industry, guided by clear principles and deep respect for creators, just as we did in the days of piracy.”

Spotify said it hopes to add more rights holders and distributors in the future.

The company has already incorporated AI features into its app, including AI DJ and AI Playlist. rolled This app, which was in beta in September, creates a personalized playlist using text prompts.

The entertainment industry has expressed growing concern about the use of harmful AI that violates artists’ copyrights during the AI ​​boom.

UMG CEO Sir Lucian Grainge sent a memo to staff on Monday saying the company “will not license any model” that uses an artist’s voice or produces songs containing an artist’s music without permission.

“It is essential that we work with strategic partners like Spotify to enable Gen AI products in an evolving commercial environment where artists, songwriters, fans, music companies and technology companies can thrive,” Grainge said in a statement. he said.

The partnership comes less than a month after Spotify demolished On the AI ​​“trend” under the increasing threat of AI-generated viral music. The streaming platform has removed more than 75 million “spammy tracks” in the past 12 months and has put policies in place to protect artists from AI impersonation and cheating.

AI-generated band The Velvet Sundown was in the spotlight this summer after reaching 1 million monthly listeners. The band, which later explained on its bio page that it was a “synthetic music project”, is currently a verified artist on Spotify with over 264,000 monthly listeners.

Spotify outlined four principles the collaboration will focus on: partnerships with labels, distributors and music publishers, opt-in option, fair pricing and new revenue, and artist-fan connection.

“Musicians’ rights are important,” Spotify said in the statement. “Copyright is crucial. If the music industry doesn’t lead now, AI-powered innovation will happen elsewhere, without rights, permissions or compensation.”

The streaming giant also faced backlash after CEO Daniel Ek, who will step down next year, led a 600 million euro funding round for defense technology startup Helsing in June.

Musicians, including King Gizzard and Lizard Wizard Xiu XiuDeerhoof, God help you! Black Emperor and lately Big Attackremoved their catalog from Spotify in protest.

“’Daniel Ek uses $700 million of his Spotify fortune to become president of AI warfare tech company’ was not a headline we enjoyed reading this week,” Deerhoof wrote. in a statement on Instagram. “We don’t want our music to kill people. We don’t want our success to depend on AI warfare technology.”