YouTube reportedly wants to pay record labels to use their songs for AI training
YouTube offers to pay record labels to use songs for AI training, involving Sony, Universal, and Warner.
YouTube is reportedly planning to pay record labels, including Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Records, for the rights to use their songs to train AI models. This effort aims to avoid copyright issues, a concern that has sparked significant conversation in the AI community.
Many musicians are unhappy with AI's involvement in their work, with over 200 artists signing an open letter in April 2023, decrying AI’s use of professional artists' voices and likenesses. Despite this, YouTube launched Dream Track, a tool for select creators using lyrics and voices from artists like John Legend and Charli XCX.
However, only ten artists participated in Dream Track, and YouTube hopes to expand its AI song generator involving dozens more. Record labels have actively opposed companies using their copyrighted content without permission, exemplified by a lawsuit filed by Sony, Universal, and Warner against music generators Suno and Omio for extensive copyright infringement.