YouTube has released its set of “principles” for collaborating with the music industry on artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Neal Mohan, the CEO of YouTube, detailed these principles in a blog post, emphasizing the importance of responsibly embracing AI while upholding their commitment to responsibility.
This is coming at a time where AI has started to play a significant role in the music industry, offering innovative solutions for composing, producing, and enhancing musical experiences.
Examples of such platforms that are focused on exploring AI music are Amper Music, AIVA, OpenAI’s MuseNet, Google’s Magenta, and IBM’s Watson Beat.
The principles
The first principle is “Embracing AI Responsibly.” According to the CEO, AI technology is now a reality with millions of people integrating it into their daily lives. It noted that it has seen over 1.7 billion views of AI-related videos in 2023.
As generative AI offers innovative creative avenues, YouTube plans to work closely with the music industry to responsibly embrace AI which has led to the introduction of the “Music AI Incubator”.
The “Music AI Incubator” will involve partnerships with innovative artists, songwriters, and producers from Universal Music Group and other industry leaders.
Protecting Creative Expression is the second principle mentioned by the online video platform. YouTube said that it remains committed to safeguarding the creative work of artists and creators.
It added that it will continue its investments in technologies like Content ID, which ensures copyright holders receive compensation for their content.
YouTube seeks to evolve these protections to accommodate the new era of AI-generated content while maintaining the balance between creators and copyright holders.
Scaling Trust and Safety Measures is the third and last principle that YouTube promises to incorporate into its AI music initiative. YouTube has a comprehensive trust and safety organization and content policies to ensure the safety of its community.
Collaboration is important
The CEO expressed excitement about AI’s potential to enhance global creativity. However, he noted that the success of YouTube and AI depends on the success of its partners.
By collaboratively adopting AI, YouTube aims to benefit artists, songwriters, producers, and the industry while providing value to fans and expanding creative possibilities.
As the music industry continues to explore AI’s potential, it’s noteworthy that an Afrobeats producer from Nigeria recently used AI technology to craft a full nine-track music album in just three days.
The producer expressed his excitement stating that “the world is witnessing the product of our passion and dedication.”
“From a small studio in the city of Lagos we experimented and created what has gone on to become Africa’s first AI-powered album, along with a virtual singer which we called Mya Blue,” he added.
