Warner Music Group and Udio reach agreement in copyrighted music fight

Warner Music Group on Wednesday mentioned it reached an settlement with synthetic intelligence startup Udio, ending a legal battle over issues that copyrighted music was getting used to coach AI fashions.

Below an settlement, Udio will launch a platform subsequent 12 months utilizing AI fashions educated on licensed and approved music, the New York-based corporations mentioned. The music might embrace content material from WMG’s publishing companies, offering new income for artists and songwriters who select to choose in, the businesses added.

Udio declined to say which artists could be concerned in its new platform, and WMG didn’t return a request for remark. WMG’s artist roster contains Ed Sheeran, Fleetwood Mac and Madonna.

The startup’s present platform permits customers to write down textual content prompts and create songs utilizing AI. The brand new model, which is predicted to launch subsequent 12 months, will let customers create remixes, covers and new songs with the voices of artists and the compositions of songwriters who select take part and people artists and writers might be credited and paid, the businesses mentioned.

“This collaboration aligns with our broader efforts to responsibly unlock AI’s potential — fueling new inventive and industrial prospects whereas persevering with to ship progressive experiences for followers,” mentioned Robert Kyncl, WMG CEO, in an announcement.

WMG, Common Music Group (UMG), Sony Music Leisure and different music companies sued Udio last year. Within the lawsuit, Udio was accused of utilizing hits just like the Temptations’ “My Lady” to create an analogous melody referred to as “Sunshine Melody.” UMG owns the copyright to “My Lady.”

Udio mentioned tens of millions of individuals have used Udio because it launched in 2024, however didn’t get away particularly what number of downloads or web site customers it has.

UMG settled with Udio final month. Udio declined to reveal the phrases of the UMG settlement. The tech firm additionally didn’t supply monetary particulars about its platform collaboration with WMG, or which artists could be concerned.

“Collaborating with WMG marks a big milestone in our mission to redefine how AI and the music business evolve collectively,” mentioned Andrew Sanchez, co-founder and CEO of Udio, in an announcement. “This partnership is a vital step in direction of realizing a future by which expertise amplifies creativity and unlocks new alternatives for artists and songwriters.”

The development of synthetic intelligence within the arts has precipitated a spread of feelings within the leisure business — from worry of job substitute to pleasure over new methods to check daring concepts in music videos and music experimentation on slimmer budgets.

After the UMG-Udio deal was introduced, Jordan Bromley, a board member on the nonprofit Music Artists Coalition and Manatt Leisure Chief, mentioned he was “cautiously optimistic however insistent on particulars.”

Music Artists Coalition government director Ron Gubitz mentioned the bulletins on the agreements “lack essential particulars songwriters and performers deserve.”

“The query nonetheless stays whether or not these offers will ship an important issues artists deserve: consent, readability, and compensation,” Gubitz mentioned in an announcement.