Google and Universal Music in Discussions for AI Deepfake Solution

The music industry finds itself at a crossroads due to the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, similar to the challenges posed by Napster and file sharing in the past. While AI can be harnessed creatively, such as David Guetta’s use of AI to craft unique live edits, it also has a darker side, as seen with the creation of deep fake songs mimicking artists like Drake and The Weeknd. To address this issue, industry leaders are exploring strategies to regulate AI-created content, including potential copyright regulations and the development of technology to counter deep fake uploads.

Two industry giants, Google and Universal Music, are now engaged in talks to devise a solution. Their aim is to create a tool that can combat the proliferation of AI-generated content by establishing proper licensing for artists’ voices and melodies, ensuring that royalties are distributed to the appropriate parties.

Warner Music CEO Robert Kyncl noted, “With the right framework in place, AI would be able to enable fans to pay their heroes the ultimate compliment through a new level of user-driven content.”

The envisioned infrastructure would allow artists to choose whether to license their talents for fan-generated projects. However, these discussions are still in their early stages, and there is no specific timeline for the release of such a tool or system.