YouTube is negotiating with major record labels—Sony, Universal, and Warner—to license their songs for training AI song generators to legally develop new AI tools, despite artists’ concerns about devaluing their work.
The Industry’s Dilemma
Unsurprisingly, many artists remain firm in their opposition to AI music generation for fear it could undermine the value of their work. Any efforts by a label to force their artists into such an agreement would be controversial at best, and a death sentence at worst.
“The industry is wrestling with this,” said an executive at an unspecified large music company.
“Technically, the companies have the copyrights, but we have to think through how to play it — we don’t want to be seen as a Luddite.”
YouTube’s AI Initiatives
Last year, YouTube began testing a genAI tool that enables people to create short music clips using a text prompt.
That tool, called “Dream Track,” was designed to imitate the sound of well-known singers — specifically, the 10 who agreed to participate in it, including Charli XCX, John Legend, and Troye Sivan. Dream Track was only made available to a small group of creators for its testing phase.
Now, YouTube wants to enlist “dozens” of artists for the launch of its new AI song generator later this year.
“We’re not looking to expand Dream Track, but are in conversations with labels about other experiments,” said YouTube.
Legal and Financial Stakes
YouTube’s move comes at a time when AI companies like OpenAI are forced to either sink or swim: striking licensing agreements with media groups to train language models or risk getting slapped with numerous lawsuits for the unauthorized use of someone else’s work.
Some of those deals, according to insiders, are worth tens of millions of dollars to media companies. For the music industry, these deals would look a little different.
Rather than a blanket license, they would apply to a select group of artists, according to people close to the discussions.
Instead of royalty-based arrangements that labels have in place with streaming platforms like Spotify or Apple, these deals would be more akin to a one-off payment from a social media company like Snap or Meta to entertainment groups for access to their music.
“We are always testing new ideas and learning from our experiments,” said YouTube. “It’s an important part of our innovation process. We will continue on this path with AI and music as we build for the future.”
Why This Matters
For music producers, this news is significant as it highlights the evolving landscape of music creation and distribution.
AI tools could potentially revolutionize the way music is produced, offering new opportunities for creativity and efficiency.
However, it also raises concerns about the devaluation of human artistry and the ethical implications of using AI for music.
Producers need to stay informed about these developments to navigate the changing industry dynamics and leverage AI responsibly in their work.
hey, so if artists are against AI music generation, how are labels planning to navigate that? feels like it could really shake things up in the industry.
That’s a solid point, MikeyT. Labels might need to rethink their strategies or work on better artist collaboration to make this work.
Interesting point on YouTube’s AI initiatives. But, how accurate is this info? Are they collaborating directly with large music labels, or is this more about independent creators?
I get the copyright issues with AI training, but isn’t there a way to balance innovation and rights? There’s got to be a middle ground somewhere.
man, youtube stepping up in AI is huge for us in music production. wonder how this will change the game?
Ah, the classic ‘innovate or die’ scenario. But at what cost? Artists and creativity on the chopping block, I guess.
I think there’s room for both AI and human creativity! It’s all about how you use it.
It’s not about chopping block, it’s about evolution. Artists have to adapt, that’s history.
The charm of music is its human touch. AI can never replicate the soul and emotion a true artist pours into their work.
But really, how does this impact smaller artists? Aren’t they at a larger risk here?
Exactly my concern. Feels like we’re getting edged out with every new ‘advancement.’
So when do we get the AI to start making video game soundtracks? Could use some new beats in my gaming sessions, lol.