SoundCloud to Revise Policies Following AI Concerns

SoundCloud will update its Terms of Use in the coming weeks after recent criticism over the platform’s potential use of artists’ music for training AI models.

The previous version of the document from February 2024 stated:

“In the absence of a separate agreement stating otherwise, you expressly agree that your content may be used to inform, train, develop, or be used as input data for artificial intelligence or machine intelligence technologies or services within and for the provision of services.”

CEO Eliah Seton published an open letter to address concerns about the use of artists’ content for AI training.

“We have implemented technical safeguards, including a ‘no AI’ tag on our site, to explicitly prohibit unauthorized use,” he emphasized.

Seton clarified the company’s current stance on artificial intelligence.

“AI should support artists, not replace them. Given the rapidly changing landscape, if an opportunity arises to use generative AI to benefit our human artists, we may offer this option with their explicit consent, using an opt-in mechanism,” the statement reads.

The revised Terms of Use state that “SoundCloud will not use content to train generative AI models aimed at replicating or synthesizing voice, music, or image.”

In April, YouTube introduced a new feature using artificial intelligence to create background music and add it to videos.