The newly formed Music AI Incubator, which includes other partners like rapper Yo Gatti and the estate of singer Frank Sinatra, will explore and offer feedback on AI-related tools with the goal of getting more artists involved with the technology, Universal Chief Executive Officer Lucian Grange said in a blog post on Monday.
The recent explosion in generative AI tools has prompted concern that creators’ work could be used to generate new songs without proper licensing or attribution. Earlier this year, a fake song featuring the voices of Drake and The Weeknd was pulled by streaming services after it went viral online. The song was viewed more than 8.5 million times on TikTok and listened to more than a quarter of a million times on Spotify before it was taken down.
The YouTube partnership reinforces the perception that the label is taking a proactive approach to manage AI-related risks. Universal had already signed a deal with sound wellness company Endel earlier in the year, which allows its artists and labels to use Endel’s AI technology to create mood music soundscapes.
Some in the industry have wholeheartedly embraced the technology. Canadian singer Grimes made headlines in May when she announced that she was happy to have anyone use her voice to make a song with AI and would even share half the royalties with them.