Google and Universal Music Group are working together to develop a licensing system for AI-generated songs, Financial Times reports. The goal of the project is to create a fair and transparent way for artists and musicians to be compensated for their work, even when their voices are used to create AI-generated music. In return, the deal will allow Google's AI models to learn from the vocal styles and expressions of UMG's singers, and create new songs that sound like them.
Under the proposed system, artists would grant Google and Universal a license to use their voices for AI-generated songs. In return, they would receive a share of the royalties generated by those songs. The amount of royalties would be based on a number of factors, including the popularity of the song and the length of time the artist's voice is used.
UMG, the world's largest music company, said that the partnership will offer new opportunities for its artists and fans. The company said that it will 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 Weekend. UMG also said that it will ensure that the artists are fairly compensated for the use of their voices, and that their creative rights are respected.
If the project goes ahead, it could be a breakthrough in understanding how data and AI will work together in the future. In the current climate, generative AI solutions are effectively scraping data and using it without giving proper accreditation or compensation. This is the case whether it is chatbots, AI coding tools, image generators, or AI audio.
One of the biggest controversies around generative AI is how it acquires the information/content it gives to users. While it appears that the content is fresh and “generated,” it is actually simply data taken from sources and patched together into something original.
Audio AI: Growing Market for Big Tech
While generative AI solutions like chatbots and image creators have become mainstream, audio AI is growing more slowly. Even so, it is clear tech companies are looking at this area of the market closely. Earlier this month, Meta launched its AudioCraft AI platform.
With AudioCraft, you can create your own music and audio content in a few simple steps. AudioCraft uses advanced AI models that can generate new sounds and compositions based on your choices and inputs. You can select from various options for genre, mood, instrument, and effect, or use your own audio files or recordings as sources for the AI.
Whether you need music or audio for your podcast, video, game, ad, or just for fun, AudioCraft can help you produce it. You can also share your work with other users on the platform, or download it to your device or app.
