YouTube Gandeng Universal Music Group Faces Advanced Generative AI

JAKARTA - As a step to protect music artists and the integrity of their work in a world filled with Artificial Intelligence (AI), YouTube cooperates with Universal Music Group (UMG).

This collaboration will create YouTube Music AI Incubator, a program designed to explore AI's potential in music.

This initiative is organized to gather creativity and expertise from some of the most innovative artists, songwriters and producers in the business.

"Progress in AI is no longer a promise of the future. Millions of people have implemented it in their daily lives, ranging from seeking useful information to increasing creativity and productivity," said YouTube CEO Neal Mohan in his official statement, quoted Tuesday, August 22.

"And YouTube content creators have specifically used AI to streamline and improve their creative processes," he added.

In 2023 alone, more than 1.7 billion video views related to AI tools are available on YouTube. Mohan said, with this collaboration, both parties would better understand how technology can provide the greatest benefits for artists and fans.

"How can technology also increase creativity, and where we can try to solve important problems in the future," said Mohan.

Among the first involved in this initiative were Anitta, Bjgusman Ulvaeus, composers Max Richter, Juanes, Rosanne Cash, Ryan Tedder, Yo Gotti, D4vd and Frank Total.

"The essence of our collective vision is to take steps to build a safe, responsible and profitable music and video ecosystem," said UMG Chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge.

"An ecosystem where artists and songwriters have the ability to maintain it. Their creative integrity, their strength to vote, and be compensated fairly."

In addition, YouTube also prohibits certain content that is technically manipulated. That is, creators should not upload videos that have been technically manipulated to promote false claims or mislead audiences into atrocities in a way that could pose a serious risk of harm.

"We will continue to invest in AI-powered technology that helps us protect the audience community, creators, artists and songwriters from Content ID, to policies and detections as well as law enforcement systems that keep our platform safe behind the scenes," Mohan concluded.

For information compiled from Venture Beat, this collaboration emerged amid growing controversy over the use of AI-generated music on streaming platforms.

In May 2023, Spotify removed tens of thousands of songs composed by startup AI DistroKid after receiving complaints from UMG.

The music label alleges that DistroKid violated his copyright by using his artist music to train his AI algorithm and producing songs that sound similar to them. However, DistroKid denied the allegations and stated that his AI music was genuine and did not violate anyone's rights.