SoundCloud, a platform long regarded as a haven for independent musicians, is now embroiled in a significant debate over artificial intelligence and the rights of creators.
An update to its Terms of Service, which took effect around February 7 introduced language that many artists and observers quickly interpreted as granting the streaming service broad permissions to use uploaded music for training AI models.
As highlighted by Futurism and TechCrunch, it centers on a clause stating that creators who upload content to the site “in the absence of a separate agreement that states otherwise […] explicitly agree that your Content may be used to inform, train, develop or serve as input to artificial intelligence or machine intelligence technologies or services,” triggering widespread alarm among musicians concerned about their work being utilized without explicit opt-in consent or direct financial compensation.
SoundCloud Reacts to Backlash
The backlash prompted SoundCloud to issue clarifications, asserting that its intentions were misunderstood. In statements provided to media outlets, a spokesperson explained that the company “has never used artist content to train AI models, nor do we develop AI tools or allow third parties to scrape or use SoundCloud content from our platform for AI training purposes. In fact, we implemented technical safeguards, including a “no AI” tag on our site to explicitly prohibit unauthorized use.”
SoundCloud maintained that the February TOS update was primarily to clarify how AI technologies are already employed for internal platform features, such as personalizing music recommendations, organizing vast music libraries, detecting fraudulent activity, and improving content identification tools.
Despite these assurances, the controversy reflects a growing apprehension within the creative community regarding the use of their intellectual property in the age of rapidly advancing generative AI. The phrasing of the updated terms, coupled with the lack of an immediately apparent opt-out mechanism for AI training has left many artists feeling vulnerable and questioning the platform’s longstanding “artist-first” mantra.
The Fine Print And Artist Reactions
The specific wording in SoundCloud’s updated terms which seemed to have been incorporated around February 12, has been a focal point of the criticism from tech ethicist Ed Newton-Rex and others. Newton-Rex commented that SoundCloud “SoundCloud seems to claim the right to train on people’s uploaded music in their terms. I think they have major questions to answer over this.”
The reaction from artists was swift, with musical duo The Flight announcing on Bluesky their decision to remove their music and close their account. Composer Adam Humphreys shared a similar sentiment, as reported by Futurism.
As Slashgear suggests, the terms could mean independent artists are effectively agreeing to let SoundCloud potentially provide their music to AI companies, while major label artists with separate agreements might be exempt.
SoundCloud’s AI Initiatives And Stated Protections
SoundCloud’s engagement with AI predates the recent TOS controversy. The company began integrating “assistive AI” tools in late January 2024, aiming to help creators, as detailed in a press release from that time. These tools were intended to facilitate the direct upload of AI-assisted songs.
Further AI-powered tools for music generation and production were introduced in November 2024, with SoundCloud, in another press release, lauding them as a way to “democratize music creation for all artists.” At that time, SoundCloud CEO Eliah Seton stated, “SoundCloud is paving the way for a future where AI unlocks creative potential and makes music creation accessible to millions, while upholding responsible and ethical practices.”
In its more recent statements, SoundCloud emphasized its commitment to responsible AI, highlighting that it has “implemented technical safeguards, including a ‘no AI’ tag on our site to explicitly prohibit unauthorized use” by third parties. The company also pointed to its partnership with AI for Music and its non-binding “Principles for Music Creation with AI” pledge, which advocates for human creativity and responsible AI development.
Furthermore, the SoundCloud Help Center clarifies that for monetizing content made with AI, artists must own the rights or have proper licensing, currently approving content only from specific AI integration partners like voice-swap, Soundful, and FADR.
“At this time, we’re only able to approve content created with our AI integration partners for distribution or monetization. If you used the following services, let us know when you create your request: voice-swap; Soundful; FADR; Tuney; tuttii; ACE Studio; AIBeatz; TwoShot; Starmony,” SoundCloud writes there.
Navigating A Complex AI Landscape
SoundCloud’s defense is that its AI efforts are designed to “to support human creativity, not replace it. Any future application of AI at SoundCloud will be designed to support human artists, enhancing the tools, capabilities, reach, and opportunities available to them on our platform.”
The company also noted that content covered by separate agreements with major rights holders, such as Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group is not used for AI training without explicit consent from those rights holders. However, this protection doesn’t automatically extend to independent artists who upload directly.
The situation reflects a broader industry trend where platforms like X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and YouTube have also updated their policies concerning AI training, often leading to similar debates about user consent and data rights, as chronicled by TechCrunch.
For artists seeking alternatives, SlashGear points to platforms like Bandcamp, whose terms reportedly state it “it cannot use your music for AI training without your express permission.” Some artists are even exploring technical countermeasures, such as encoding music to confuse AI, a method reportedly investigated by musician Benn Jordan.
As legal and commercial frameworks around AI continue to evolve, SoundCloud has stated its commitment to “open dialogue” and keeping its community informed.
