What’s the news: Putting the TikTok vs Universal Music Group (UMG) dispute to bed, the companies on May 1 announced a “new multi-dimensional licensing agreement” that will ensure improved remuneration and protections with regards to generative AI. In a press release, TikTok said the UMG music will return to TikTok’s global community soon.
“By harnessing TikTok’s technology, marketing and promotional capabilities, UMG and TikTok will deliver improved remuneration for UMG’s songwriters and artists, new promotional and engagement opportunities for their recordings and songs and industry-leading protections with respect to generative AI,” said the joint statement.
TikTok will remove unauthorized AI-generated content: TikTok said it will work with UMG to remove unauthorized AI-generated music from the platform and work on tools to improve artist and songwriter attribution.
Aside from these, TikTok said it is working on aomn “Add to Music App” tool that will have enhanced data and analytics, and integrated ticketing capabilities to help artists both financially and in building their fanbases.
What is the music industry’s attitude towards AI-generated content?
Earlier, UMG had expressed concern about TikTok being flooded with artificial intelligence (AI)-generated recordings. It said that the platform was developing tools to enable AI music creation on TikTok itself. Months later, more than 200 musicians called upon AI developers, companies, platforms, and other stakeholders to stop using AI and infringing upon the rights of human artists.
On April 10, an American union of media professionals – the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) – even reached a tentative agreement with leading record labels that addressed concerns regarding AI-generated music. It asked for clear and compulsory consent from and compensation for music artists before their voice is digitally replicated.
However, in India, the tone is quite different with some music industry professionals calling AI a ‘great enabler’. During FICCI Frames 2024, lyricist and speaker Garima Wahal said that “AI entering the space of our copyright and royalty is definitely something we would highly appreciate.”
Also Read:
- TikTok Vs. UMG Royalty Dispute: Music Co-Written By UMG Artists Removed
- SAG-AFTRA Media Union And Record Labels Soon To Come Up With AI Protections For Artists
- TikTok CEO Defends Data Practices Amid Senate Scrutiny On Its Chinese Ownership
- AI Is Not A Threat To Music Industry If Used In The Right Way: AR Rahman
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