By
Godfrey Benjamin
April 19th, 2024
A person familiar with the matter revealed that UMG has been sending out requests “left and right” to take out songs generated by AI.
As artificial intelligence (AI) content is on the rise, Universal Music Group (UMG) has ordered music streaming platforms to block AI-generated music. Since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, AI-generated content has seen an unusual rise and adoption by many. As expected, the world is divided on accepting this new technology. While many see the AI chatbot as a game changer, others believe it has more disadvantages than benefits. The latest concern came from UMG, which has asked Apple Music, Spotify, and other streaming service providers to cut out all songs generated by AI. The music group is requesting the streaming services to stop AI companies from accessing the label’s copyrighted songs to “train” their machines.
UMG Asks Streamers to Stop AI Companies from Obtaining Label’s Copyright Songs
The Financial Times referred to an email from UMG, which states that streams should stop giving access to AI services to obtain melodies and lyrics from copyrighted songs. The group also noted that the artificial intelligence services are harvesting copyrighted songs “without obtaining the required consent.” It emphasized that the music corporation is willing to take measures to protest its interests and its artists.
A person familiar with the matter revealed that UMG has been sending out requests “left and right” to take out songs generated by AI. The person added that the music has frequently been popping up on streaming services. Buttressing the alarming takeover of AI-spawned music, a Twitter user referenced the AI version of American rapper Jay-Z. Although a self-claimed Jay-Z fan, the user talked about enjoying the other version despite being aware that AI made it. The tweet generated multiple reactions, further emphasizing concerns about AI’s mind-blowing abilities. Just as it is on streaming platforms, YouTube pages are also popping up with covers of popular music via AI technology.
In October 2022, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) wrote about online services using AI to extract and copy musical components from tracks. Also, the team wrote that their results are always very similar or as good as the selected tracks or sound recording artists. Addressing the US trade representative, the RIAA added:
“To the extent these services, or their partners, are training their AI models using our members’ music, that use is unauthorized and infringes our members’ rights by making unauthorized copies of our works. In any event, the files these services disseminate are either unauthorized copies or unauthorized derivative works of our members’ music.”
Likewise, UMG said about its stance with songs generated by AI that it has the responsibility to protect its courts. The team said it must prevent authorized use of its music and stop platforms from “ingesting content that violates the rights of artists and other creators”.