Warner Music Group and Udio reach agreement in copyrighted music fight
Warner Music Group announced Wednesday that it has reached a deal with artificial intelligence startup Udio, ending a legal battle over concerns that copyrighted music was being used to train AI models.
As part of a deal, Udio will launch a platform next year using AI models trained on licensed and licensed music, the New York-based companies said. The music could include content from WMG’s publishing operations, providing new revenue for artists and songwriters who choose to participate, the companies added.
Udio declined to say which artists would be involved in its new platform, and WMG did not respond to a request for comment. WMG’s artist roster includes Ed Sheeran, Fleetwood Mac and Madonna.
The startup’s current platform allows users to write text prompts and create songs using AI. The new version, expected to launch next year, will allow users to create remixes, covers and new songs with the vocals of artists and compositions of songwriters who choose to participate and those artists and writers will be credited and paid, the companies said.
“This collaboration is part of our broader efforts to responsibly unlock the potential of AI, fueling new creative and commercial possibilities while continuing to deliver innovative experiences for fans,” Robert Kyncl, CEO of WMG, said in a statement.
WMG, Universal Music Group (UMG), Sony Music Entertainment and other music companies sued Udio last year. In the lawsuit, Udio was accused of using hits like the Temptations’ “My Girl” to create a similar tune called “Sunshine Melody.” UMG owns the copyright to “My Girl”.
Udio said millions of people have used Udio since its launch in 2024, but did not say how many downloads or website users it has.
UMG settled with Udio last month. Udio declined to disclose terms of the settlement with UMG. The tech company also did not provide financial details about its collaboration with WMG, nor which artists would be involved.
“The collaboration with WMG marks an important milestone in our mission to redefine how AI and the music industry evolve together,” Andrew Sanchez, co-founder and CEO of Udio, said in a statement. “This partnership is a crucial step toward realizing a future in which technology amplifies creativity and opens new opportunities for artists and songwriters. »
Advances in artificial intelligence in the arts have sparked a range of emotions in the entertainment industry – from fear of job replacement to excitement over new ways to test bold ideas in music videos and musical experiments with smaller budgets.
After the UMG-Udio deal was announced, Jordan Bromley, a board member of the nonprofit Music Artists Coalition and leader of Manatt Entertainment, said he was “cautiously optimistic but insistent on details.”
Music Artists Coalition Executive Director Ron Gubitz said the deal announcements “lack the critical details that songwriters and performers deserve.”
“The question remains whether these agreements will provide artists with the most important things they deserve: consent, clarity and compensation,” Gubitz said in a statement.
