AI will no longer be able to use famous hits: Spotify launches copyright control system

The world’s largest streaming platform, Spotify, which provides access to a vast library of music, podcasts, and other audio and video content, has announced a strategic partnership with three recording giants (Sony Music, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group), as well as the companies Merlin and Believe, to jointly create AI-powered music tools.

Spotify’s key goal is to develop AI tools that “put artists and songwriters first” and respect their copyrights. This represents a fundamental shift in the market:

• Ensuring Compensation: Spotify has committed to ensuring “proper compensation” for rights holders, adopting a model of “upfront agreements” rather than “asking for forgiveness later.”
• Artist Choice: Artists will be given the power to decide whether they want to participate in the training and use of these generative tools.
• Leadership Stance: Co-President Alex Norstrom emphasized: “Technology must always serve the artists, not the other way around.”

This initiative is a direct response to concerns within the creative community. A number of prominent musicians (Dua Lipa, Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney) had previously spoken out against companies using their music to train AI without permission or payment.

Max Bonanno, Managing Partner at MidCitizen Entertainment, stated that unregulated AI has “polluted the creative ecosystem” and “diluted the already limited share of revenue” artists receive from streaming royalties.

Spotify’s announcement was applauded by Ed Newton-Rex, founder of Fairly Trained, who advocates for AI companies to respect creators’ rights:

• “A large part of the AI industry is exploitative… This is a different matter—AI features built fairly, with artists’ permission, presented to fans as a voluntary addition…”
• He called the move “a step towards a more ethical AI industry, which is desperately needed.”

Although Spotify claims it does not create music itself, it actively uses AI for its own features (AI DJ, personalized “Daily Mixes”). Furthermore, the company recently introduced strict measures against artists who fail to disclose the use of AI or use it to clone voices (as seen with the viral AI-generated track featuring Drake and The Weeknd, which was removed in 2023).

Robert Kinkle, head of Warner Music Group, summarized the industry’s strategy: “This means collaborating with partners who understand the need for new AI licensing agreements that will protect and compensate rights holders and the creative community.”