Universal Music Ensemble says has entered into “industry-first strategic agreements” to “resolve copyright infringement disputes” with artificial intelligence startup Udio and license music to a recent AI-powered music platform. The move is one of several expected licensing deals expected to be struck in the next few weeks as the industry grapples with the AI challenge.
The deal includes some form of compensation and “will provide further revenue opportunities for UMG artists and songwriters,” Universal says. Udio, the company behind ‘BBL Drizzy’, will launch the platform as a subscription service next year. Universal, along with fellow industry giants Sony and Warner, sued Udio and fellow startup Suno last year for “massive” copyright infringement.
Universal — which includes some of the world’s biggest artists such as Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny and Ariana Grande — says the recent tool will “change the way users engage” and enable creators to customize, stream and share music. There is no word yet on how much this will cost.
The existing Udio music creator, which allows you to create recent songs consisting of a few words, will remain available during the transition, although content will be stored “in a walled garden” and security measures such as fingerprinting will be added.