Universal Teams with AI Startup Udio Post-Copyright Settlement
▼ Summary
– Universal Music Group has reached industry-first agreements with AI startup Udio to settle copyright litigation and license music for a new AI platform.
– The deal includes compensation and aims to create additional revenue opportunities for Universal’s artists and songwriters.
– Udio, known for creating “BBL Drizzy,” plans to launch the AI music platform as a subscription service next year.
– Universal sued Udio and another startup last year for mass copyright infringement alongside other major music companies.
– Udio’s existing music creation tool will remain available during the transition with enhanced security measures and content restrictions.
Universal Music Group has forged a groundbreaking partnership with AI music startup Udio, settling copyright disputes and paving the way for a licensed AI music platform. This landmark agreement marks a significant shift in how major record labels approach artificial intelligence in the creative industries. The deal not only resolves ongoing litigation but also establishes a framework for future collaboration, promising new revenue streams for artists and songwriters under the UMG banner.
The settlement includes provisions for financial compensation, directly benefiting the creators on Universal’s roster, which features global superstars like Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, and Ariana Grande. This move is seen as a proactive step to harness AI technology rather than simply litigate against it. Udio, the company responsible for the viral track “BBL Drizzy,” is set to launch a subscription-based platform next year, developed under this new licensing agreement.
This development follows a series of lawsuits filed last year by Universal, Sony, and Warner against Udio and another AI firm, Suno, alleging widespread copyright infringement. The new partnership effectively ends that legal battle for Udio, transforming a contentious relationship into a strategic alliance. Universal describes the forthcoming tool as one that will fundamentally transform the user engagement experience, enabling creators to customize, stream, and share music in novel ways. Specific pricing details for the subscription service have not yet been disclosed.
During the transition to the new licensed platform, Udio’s existing music generation service will remain operational. Users can continue to create songs from simple text prompts, but the content will be managed within a more controlled environment. Enhanced security protocols, including audio fingerprinting technology, will be implemented to protect intellectual property, effectively creating a walled garden for AI-generated music. This approach aims to balance innovation with the rights of artists and copyright holders.
(Source: The Verge)
