Key Takeaway
After two years of tension regarding AI’s impact on music creation, the industry is now pushing back against tech companies that have used copyrighted recordings without consent to train AI models. Spotify is responding by forming direct agreements with major record labels—Sony, Universal, and Warner—to develop AI tools that prioritize artists and uphold copyright protections. The partnerships also include music rights group Merlin and digital distributor Believe, representing a significant portion of global recordings. Spotify acknowledges diverse opinions on generative music tools and plans to allow creators to choose their involvement, with initial AI product development already underway.
After two years of tension regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on music creation, the industry is starting to respond.
Tech companies have been scraping copyrighted recordings to train AI models—often without permission.
Now, Spotify, the Swedish streaming giant with over 600 million users, is taking a new approach by establishing direct agreements with the three major record labels.
Its aim is to create AI tools that prioritize artists and songwriters while ensuring copyright protections are upheld.
Through partnerships with Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group, Spotify will license music to develop these tools.
Music rights organization Merlin and digital distributor Believe have also joined, bringing together entities that collectively represent the majority of the world’s commercial recordings.
Spotify states that the development of its first AI products is already in progress.
Recognizing the “wide range of views on generative music tools within the artistic community,” the company intends to allow creators to choose whether to participate.
Behind the major labels striking licensing deals with Spotify
Artists such as Dua Lipa, Sir Elton John, and Sir Paul McCartney have increasingly voiced their concerns about AI companies using their music to train generative models without consent or compensation.
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