YouTube is reportedly in talks with music companies to use copyrighted music to train its artificial intelligence (AI) tools. The Google-owned platform is said to be working on several new AI features that are scheduled to be released by the end of this year. Last year, the video streaming platform announced a test of an AI track generator called Dream Track for Shorts, but it was never released. The report emphasizes that the deal could involve a separate AI tool that can also produce music.
YouTube is considering AI deals with record labels
The Financial Times reports that YouTube is negotiating with three different record labels to license its songs. The company has offered cash to Sony, Warner and Universal, the release said, citing people familiar with the matter. The deal reportedly includes the right to use these copyrighted songs to train an artificial intelligence model to produce songs that could be similar in style.
However, this can be difficult to achieve. The report notes that while artists do not support such deals for fear of damaging their talent and having a lasting impact on their careers, record labels appear to have a different opinion.
“The industry is struggling with this. Technically, companies own the copyright, but they have to think about how to reproduce it. We don’t want to be seen as idiots,” the magazine quoted an anonymous executive at a major music company as saying:
Explaining the nature of the deals, the report claims that YouTube pays record labels a one-time payment instead of the royalties paid by Spotify and Apple. Additionally, the report states that the video streaming giant is unlikely to receive full licenses from record labels. Instead, it said the company may only have access to songs from select artists who agreed to participate in the deal.
Last year, YouTube announced a trial of Dream Track, an AI-powered track generation feature for its vertical video formats, but the latest deal is reportedly for a different AI tool. However, the functionality remains the same. The company is reportedly considering hiring dozens of artists to train its AI models, which it plans to release later this year.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
