Sony, Warner, and Universal sign AI music licensing deals with startup Klay

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Category: Technology/Innovations

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. shake up (something) / ʃeɪkˌʌp / (phrasal v.) – to make many or large changes in something, often to improve it or change how it works
    Example:

    The new manager is shaking up the company’s rules to make work more efficient.


  2. rack up (something) / ræk ʌp / (phrasal v.) – to gain or collect a large number of something, often over a period of time
    Example:

    The singer is racking up millions of views on her new music video.


  3. infringement / ɪnˈfrɪndʒ mənt / (n.) – an act of breaking a law, rule, or right, especially someone’s legal rights
    Example:

    Downloading movies from illegal websites is considered copyright infringement.


  4. litigation / ˌlɪt ɪˈgeɪ ʃən / (n.) – the process of going to court to solve a problem through a judge’s decision
    Example:

    Because the two neighbors couldn’t agree, their argument led to litigation.


  5. remix / riˈmɪks / (v.) – to change a song or piece of music by adding new sounds or effects so it sounds different from the original
    Example:

    Many young producers want to remix old hits to make them sound modern.


Article

Read the text below.

The world’s biggest music labels have struck AI licensing deals with a little-known startup named Klay Vision, the companies said, the latest in a series of deals that underline how the technology is shaking up the music industry’s business model.


Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Sony Music Entertainment, and their publishing arms, all signed separate agreements with Klay, according to an announcement posted on Warner’s website. It comes a day after Warner inked two other deals involving artificial intelligence, with startups Udio and Stability AI. There were few details released about the agreements or about Klay, which is based in Los Angeles, and what it does.


The deal terms will help Klay “further evolve music experiences for fans, leveraging the potential of AI, while fully respecting the rights of artists, songwriters, and rightsholders,” the announcement said. Klay has been working with the music industry on a licensing “framework for an AI-driven music experience” and has built a “large music model” trained only on licensed music.


AI-generated music has been flooding streaming services amid the rise of chatbot-like song generators that instantly spit out new tunes based on prompts typed by users without any musical knowledge. The synthetic music boom has also resulted in a wave of AI singers and bands that have climbed the charts after racking up millions of streams, even though they don’t exist in real life.


Last year, Warner, Universal, and Sony sued Suno and Udio, makers of two popular AI song generation tools, accusing them of exploiting the recorded works of artists without compensating them. But there are signs that the disputes are being resolved through negotiation.


Warner, which represents artists including Ed Sheeran and Dua Lipa, said that it resolved its copyright infringement litigation against Udio. The two companies said they’re teaming up to develop Udio’s licensed AI music creation service set to launch in 2026 that will allow users to remix tunes by established artists.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Last year, Warner had a copyright dispute with Udio, but now the two companies have agreed to work together on Udio’s licensed AI music-creation service. What do you think are the pros and cons of forming a partnership after settling a dispute? Discuss.
  • What do you think artists under Warner felt after partnering with Udio? In your opinion, should Warner consult its artists before making business decisions like this? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Some AI singers and bands are becoming popular on music charts, even though they are not real people. What do you think about their success? Do you think audiences care whether a singer is real or virtual? Why do you say so? Discuss.
  • If you wanted to be a singer or musician, how would you feel about AI singers and bands becoming popular on the charts? Would it motivate you, discourage you, or not affect you? Why? Discuss.