Google and Universal Music Group (along with other companies) have committed to a potential future collaboration. This agreement between the two groups will allow the creation of music tracks generated by AI using the voices of well-known artists.
The music industry today faces a new challenge: that of the emergence of musical deepfakes. Or the creation of music assisted by artificial intelligence, which notably allows the use of almost any voice or melody in a musical arrangement. If the concern for ethics behind this phenomenon is real, there was no question for Universal or Google to miss it. This future collaboration could allow everyone to produce deepfakes in a completely legal way.
A new creative horizon tinged with uncertainties
This potential alliance could boost the creativity of many composers and music lovers, who could then experiment what they want with voices of famous artists. According to FinancialTimesthis initiative is not isolated and is part of a much broader reflection: how to integrate and regulate the use of AI in music production?
The wild use of voices without the consent of their authors raises many questions about the protection of copyright and even artistic authenticity. Regulating their use would allow music production companies to keep this phenomenon under control. The idea of Google and Universal would eventually establish a licensing model so that singers and copyright owners can be compensated if their voice or their melodies are used in AI-assisted productions.
Challenges and Concerns
If the idea may seem exciting, it is not without raising serious concerns in the ranks of the music industry. In April of this year, the two artists Drake and The Weeknd (present in the photo above) achieved success somewhat in spite of themselves. Indeed, an anonymous composer, hiding under the pseudonym of Ghostwiter977, created a track with their two voices using AI. Heart On My Sleeve, the song in question was a dazzling success since it recorded fifteen million views in 48 hours. By then, both artists had already raised concerns about this kind of unauthorized use of their vocals.
Conversely, other people like the Canadian artist Grimes, are fully for the development of AI-assisted music production. In June, Paul McCartney announced that a new Beatles song will be composed using AI, by extracting samples of John Lennon’s voice from a cassette dating from 1978.
Rejoice or worry for the artists, the question is not so simple to consider. What is certain, however, is that the music industry will not sit idly by waiting for deepfakes to rain down without its permission. This potential collaboration between Google and Universal is proof of that.
Sources: Gizmodoh, Search Engine Journal
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