Google and Universal Music Group are reportedly engaged in discussions to secure licensing agreements for artists’ melodies and voices. These agreements would apply to songs generated through artificial intelligence, as the music industry seeks to convert one of its significant challenges into a revenue opportunity.
According to the details collected by FT from people who were familiar with the matter, the duo is collaborating to control the rise in deep fakes generated by AI.
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Google and Universal Music discussions seem to be in the early stages
The report reveals a rise in deepfake songs that mimic the voices of artists like Drake, Kanye West, and more. Additionally, talking about the seriousness of the matter, Universal Music general counsel Jeffrey Harleston told US lawmakers that,
“An artist’s voice is often the most valuable part of their livelihood and public persona, and to steal it, no matter the means, is wrong.”
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The discussion is said to be in the early stages. The ultimate goal is to produce such tracks legally. This vision also includes paying the copyrights to the respective artists.