Meta and Universal Music Group (UMG) have announced the expansion of their licensing agreement into a new global multi-year deal. This updated agreement includes a focus on monetisation opportunities for music labels, artists, and songwriters, and addresses the issue of unauthorized AI-generated content. The deal also extends to licensing music for Meta’s WhatsApp platform.
AI-generated music, which mimics the voice or style of real artists, has become a contentious issue within the music industry. A notable example is the song ‘Heart on My Sleeve,’ which, despite being an AI creation, was marketed as performed by popular artists Drake and the Weeknd. The song’s success and Grammy consideration highlighted the challenges of regulating AI in music.
The expanded licensing agreement between Meta and UMG aims to tackle the problem of unauthorized AI-generated content, protecting human artists and songwriters. Although specific measures were not disclosed, the partnership underscores a commitment to addressing the risks associated with music deepfakes.
This deal also marks a significant first for UMG, as it extends music licensing to Meta’s WhatsApp platform. This could potentially lead to new features, such as incorporating copyrighted music into WhatsApp, and might even pave the way for similar integrations in other Meta platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Horizon, Meta’s mixed-reality platform.
The expansion of the agreement, originally signed in 2017, enhances both the duration and scope of Meta and UMG’s collaboration, reflecting the growing importance of addressing digital and AI-related challenges in the music industry.
