YouTube last year began testing a generative AI tool but only 10 artists agreed to participate in the test phase, including Charli XCX , Troye Sivan and John Legend. Photograph: Ian West/PA WireYouTube is in talks with record labels to license their songs for artificial intelligence tools that clone popular artists’ music, hoping to win over a sceptical industry with upfront payments.
However, many artists remain fiercely opposed to AI music generation, fearing it could undermine the value of their work. Any move by a label to force their stars into such a scheme would be hugely controversial.“The industry is wrestling with this. Technically the companies have the copyrights, but we have to think through how to play it,” said an executive at a large music company. “We don’t want to be seen as a Luddite.
YouTube wants to sign up “dozens” of artists, to roll out a new AI song generator this year, said two of the people. It would be up to the labels to encourage their artists to participate in the new projects. That means the final amounts YouTube might be willing to pay the labels are at this stage undetermined.
YouTube’s new AI tool, which is unlikely to carry the Dream Track brand, could form part of YouTube’s Shorts platform, which competes with TikTok. Talks continue and deal terms could still change, the people said. Sony Music, which did not participate in the first phase of YouTube’s AI experiment, is in negotiations with the tech group to make available some of its music to the new tools, said a person familiar with the matter. Warner and Universal, whose artists participated in the test phase, are also in talks with YouTube about expanding the product, these people said.