With generative AI balloons allowing anyone to create deepfake music, Google and Universal Music are working on ways to license musicians’ voices and melodies used in AI-generated music. It is reported.

The arts industry, especially the music industry, has struggled to develop workarounds for AI-generated music, with some artists openly expressing their displeasure with AI being used to mimic their voices. . This comes as more and more people use generative AI to create music, images, and videos using the voices, styles, and sounds of well-known artists without permission.

rapper ice cube He publicly denounced the act as “diabolical” and insisted that the perpetrators should be prosecuted. It’s not the first time Universal Music Group (UMG) has taken steps to protect music copyrights this year, as it told streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music in April to prevent AI companies from accessing their libraries. I sent you a letter.

Salvation for artists?

Talks between the two companies could be reassuring for artists, as they could gain something each time their voice or likeness is used in AI-generated music.

Although still in its early stages, talks between the two companies have been confirmed by four sources close to the development, according to people familiar with the matter. report According to the Financial Times.

We don’t yet have a concrete product on the horizon, but our ultimate goal is to come up with a platform or tool that allows fans to create songs and pay copyright holders for their work.

This would also address one of the problems of generative AI, the prevalence of deepfakes.

One of the most famous AI-generated deep fake songs is: “I have a heart on my sleeve” A song with AI-generated vocals mimicking Drake and The Weeknd. The song quickly went viral on social media platforms such as TikTok. The track was later removed from the streaming platform for copyright infringement.

Another example is “Gangsta’s Paradise” It features the voice of Frank Sinatra, and the voice of Johnny Cash was used on the pop single.barbie girl”

According to the Financial Times, a user account on YouTube named PlugginAI offers tracks mimicking the voice of the deceased. Tupac and Notorious Big

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Music industry executives agree

Universal Music General Counsel Jeffrey Harleston told US lawmakers his displeasure with the practice of using artist voices.

“An artist’s voice is often the most valuable part of a person’s livelihood and public personality, and it cannot be stolen, even if the means are wrong,” he said.

The Financial Times reported that Warner Music, the third-largest music label, is also in talks with Google about a product, according to sources close to the development.

Warner Music CEO Robert Kinkle told investors on Tuesday, Aug. 8 that, with the right framework in place, AI could be “a new level of innovation, including new cover versions and mashups.” Fans will be able to give their heroes the ultimate tribute through user-driven content.” ”

The rise of freely accessible tools for generating video and audio content, such as Midjourney, means that the average user can create deep fake music, making artists unhappy.

by Telegraphthe acquisition recalls the rise of Google’s YouTube, where user piracy led to a long-running dispute with the music industry, but the site now pays record labels $2 billion a year in royalties. .

Artists have a choice

Kyncl said artists should have a choice when it comes to AI music, adding that the company’s priority is to ensure that artists have the right to opt-in.

“Some people may not like it, but that’s perfectly fine,” he said.

Electronic artist Grimes offered to allow people to use his voice, but split the royalties.

Rosie Burbidge, Intellectual Property Partner at Gunnercooke LLP, said: “If the music itself is AI-generated, we are more clearly in the realm of copyright infringement. If you can prove that there is a similarity in the music, it is possible.” ”

Recently, musician Ed Sheeran He said he “doesn’t buy into the AI ​​hype” when discussing AI in music, adding concern about mass job losses from technology.

“The point of society is that we work and do something. If everything was done by robots, everyone would lose their jobs,” he said.

He added that AI is “a bit strange” and society doesn’t need it.

“It’s like, ‘Have you ever seen a movie where robots kill us?'”