Meta and Universal Music Group (UMG) recently announced a significant expansion of their music licensing agreement. This agreement allows users to share songs from UMG’s vast music library on various Meta platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Horizon, Threads, and WhatsApp without infringing on copyright laws.
A key aspect of this enhanced agreement is the focus on addressing issues related to “unauthorized AI-generated content.” This pertains to AI systems scraping songs without the permission of the original creators, posing a challenge for artists and songwriters dealing with the misuse of their work by AI companies for training purposes.
Michael Nash, UMG’s chief digital officer and executive vice president, expressed commitment to protecting artists’ and songwriters’ rights against unauthorized AI-generated content in the future.
This development follows a recent dispute between TikTok and UMG, where UMG’s music catalog was temporarily removed from the platform due to concerns regarding AI usage and online safety. The subsequent agreement between the two companies facilitated the return of music from artists such as Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift on TikTok.
Furthermore, the agreement comes amid a lawsuit by the Recording Industry Association of America against music startups Udio and Suno, alleging the unauthorized use of copyrighted music in training their AI models. Meta emphasizes an ethical approach to AI music, using generative AI models trained solely on Meta-owned and licensed music.
WhatsApp users can now share licensed music from UMG for the first time within the messaging app. Additionally, Threads, a social networking app owned by Meta, is included in this partnership.
Notably, the collaboration between Meta and UMG began in 2017, allowing Facebook users to upload and share videos featuring UMG’s music catalog, marking a significant milestone in the music industry’s digital evolution.
