Spotify\u2019s chief executive has defended the company\u2019s move into AI-generated music, claiming it offers users and creators a better alternative to piracy and unregulated AI slop.<\/p>\n
Last week, the platform announced a new feature in which premium users will be allowed to create their own, AI-generated remixes and song covers using music from participating artists.<\/p>\n
The feature comes as a part of a deal with Universal Music Group<\/a> that sent Spotify\u2019s shares up 16% last week.<\/p>\n Alex Norstr\u00f6m, CEO of Spotify, told the Financial Times the streamer was trying to offer a \u201ccontrolled\u201d alternative, in which musicians can consent to use of their work and make money from it, as opposed to having it pirated. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of rogue attempts at this,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Spotify\u2019s feature will cost extra money, and allow \u201cone song to become 10,000\u201d, said Norstr\u00f6m.<\/p>\n Details have yet to emerge on how this new feature will work, though; for example, whether user-generated AI remixes will be shareable, or private. It is also unclear how Spotify might label user-generated AI content if it is shareable.<\/p>\n Ed Newton-Rex, a composer and campaigner for protecting artists\u2019 copyright, said: \u201cI think if you are going to have AI music, it\u2019s clearly better that you have AI music that is rooted in consent.\u201d<\/p>\n However, he said, the feature could \u2013 depending on its design \u2013 lead to human artists facing greater competition from AI-generated work, in a \u201cvicious circle\u201d that would force even sceptical artists to take part.<\/p>\n \u201cThe big question will be whether fans can share remixes they make for other people to listen to. If they can, I think you get into dangerous territory. These AI remixes will flood Spotify and drown out other songs, which will in turn put pressure on more musicians to sign up to the AI remix feature.\u201d<\/p>\n There appears to be clear demand for AI-generated music. Last year, three AI-generated songs topped<\/a> music charts, including Spotify\u2019s, highlighting a growing phenomenon of AI music flooding major platforms and, increasingly, being indistinguishable from human-made music.<\/p>\n \u201cAI music has gotten much better very quickly, and so if people hear a song they like and they\u2019re not thinking about whether or not it\u2019s AI. Then there\u2019s demand for it like there\u2019s demand for any music,\u201d said Newton-Rex.<\/p>\n Artificial intelligence is a grave concern for the music industry, and creative industries more broadly. In March, the UK government backtracked<\/a> on a plan to let AI companies use copyrighted work without permission, after an outcry from thousands of artists including Elton John and Dua Lipa.<\/p>\n Leading AI companies, including Meta and OpenAI, have been<\/a> sued<\/a> for allegedly using books, newspaper articles and other copyrighted materials to train AI models without the consent of authors and creators.<\/p>\n