FT: Google and Universal Music begin battle over AI tracks

Google and the Universal Music Group (UMG) are in talks to launch a service to license performers’ voices, according to the Financial Times, citing sources.

The initiative comes amid a rise in the number of musical “deepfakes.” Once licensed, the labels expect to collect fees from creators of tracks generated with AI using others’ voices.

The talks are at an early stage, sources said. According to them, Warner Music Group has also discussed a similar idea with Google.

In October 2022, the record labels expressed concern about the spread of music-generation algorithms.

In April 2023, UMG urged streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music to block AI services that extract melodies and lyrics from songs.

Earlier, Universal Music Publishing Group had a deepfake of Eminem, ‘singing’ about cats, removed.