Universal Music Group is \u201cvery actively engaged with nearly a dozen different companies on significant new products and service plans that hold promise for a dramatic expansion of the AI music landscape\u201d according to the latest memo to colleagues from chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge, which was sent yesterday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grainge also cited existing deals with startups ProRata and Klay; with BandLab and Soundlabs; and a a recently-signed deal with Japanese telco KDDI \u201cto develop new music experiences for fans and artists using Gen AI\u201d in his memo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBased on what we\u2019ve done with our AI partners to date, and the new discussions that are underway, we can unequivocally say that AI has the potential to deliver creative tools that will enable us to connect our artists with their fans in new ways\u2014and with advanced capability on a scale we\u2019ve never encountered,\u201d wrote Grainge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\u201cFurther, I believe that Agentic AI, which dynamically employs complex reasoning and adaptation, has the potential to revolutionise how fans interact with and discover music,\u201d he added \u2013\u00a0with the memo also reiterating UMG\u2019s support for\u00a0Spotify\u2019s recent integration with OpenAI\u2019s ChatGPT<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n UMG was recently reported to be in discussions with companies\u00a0including ElevenLabs, Stability AI, Suno and Udio about deals<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Grainge\u2019s memo did not give any specific details on those, he followed his mention of ProRata and Klay with a reference to \u201cdiscussions with numerous additional like-minded companies whose products provide accurate attribution and tools which empower and compensate artists\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd to be clear\u2014and this is very important\u2014we will NOT license any model that uses an artist\u2019s voice or generates new songs which incorporate an artist\u2019s existing songs without their consent,\u201d added Grainge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He also said that the company has \u201cestablished teams throughout UMG that will be working with artists and their representatives to bring these opportunities directly to them\u201d \u2013\u00a0something that will be important, given rumblings from bodies representing artists, songwriters and their managers about the need for transparency and permission on this side of the licensing equation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, Grainge talked about the ongoing policy battles between AI companies lobbying for light-touch regulation, and the creative industries calling for protection of copyrighted work and human creators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are confident that by displaying our willingness as a community to embrace those commercial AI models which value and enhance human artistry, we are demonstrating that market-based solutions promoting innovation are the answer,\u201d he wrote.\u00a0You can read the full memo here<\/a>.<\/p>\n