Image Credit: MusicTech

Meta Platforms and Universal Music Group (UMG) have announced an expanded global partnership aimed at tackling the growing issue of unauthorised AI-generated music.

This multi-year agreement, which builds on their initial 2017 collaboration, focuses on protecting the intellectual property rights of artists and songwriters across Meta’s platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Horizon, Threads, and now, for the first time, WhatsApp.

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The rise of AI technology has posed significant challenges for the music industry, with artists increasingly concerned about their work being used without permission in AI training models.

This partnership marks a proactive step by two of the industry’s biggest players to ensure that creators are fairly compensated and their rights protected in an evolving digital landscape.

While specific terms of the deal were not disclosed, both companies have emphasized their commitment to addressing unauthorised AI-generated content.

Michael Nash, UMG’s Chief Digital Officer, stated, “We are delighted that Meta shares our artist-centric vision for respecting human creativity and compensating artists and songwriters fairly.

We look forward to continuing to work together to address unauthorised AI-generated content that could affect artists and songwriters so that UMG can continue to protect their rights both now and in the future.”

Meta has played a significant role in amplifying music on social media since the original 2017 agreement with UMG, which was the first major music company to license its catalogue across Meta’s platforms.

This partnership has allowed artists and songwriters to explore new channels of creative expression, including virtual reality environments through Meta’s Quest devices.

The expansion of the agreement to include WhatsApp highlights the ongoing efforts by Meta and UMG to create new monetization opportunities for artists. As short-form video content continues to grow in popularity, this partnership aims to provide even greater reach and engagement for artists and songwriters across Meta’s ecosystem.

Tamara Hrivnak, VP of Music and Content Business Development at Meta, commented on the renewed partnership, saying, “This partnership builds on the recognition that music can help connect us and bring fans, artists, and songwriters closer together, not only on established platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, but also in new ways on WhatsApp, and more.”

The collaboration between UMG and Meta comes at a time when the music industry is grappling with the rapid development of AI technologies.

By focusing on the unauthorized use of AI-generated content, the partnership seeks to ensure that artists’ creative output is respected and that they are appropriately rewarded for their work.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, this partnership between UMG and Meta could serve as a model for future collaborations between technology companies and the music industry, setting a precedent for how intellectual property rights are managed in the age of AI.