Universal Music Group and KLAY Announce Partnership to Develop Ethical AI Technology

Universal Music Group and the AI music company KLAY Vision announced a new partnership to develop new AI tools with an ethical approach.

According to the press release, the companies are “committed to the premise that AI can bolster and grow musical creativity and human artistry.” The companies declared to share a similar vision of AI development with responsibility and building constructive dialogue with artists.

“We are excited to partner with entrepreneurs like the team leading KLAY, to explore new opportunities and ethical solutions for artists and the wider music ecosystem, advancing generative AI technology in ways that are both respectful of copyright and have the potential to profoundly impact human creativity,” said Michael Nash, Executive Vice President, and Chief Digital Officer of Universal Music.

The Los Angeles-based startup KLAY declared to be committed to serving songwriters, artists, and other rights holders in the industry. The company is being led by different executives including music producer Ary Attie, Google DeepMind researcher Björn Winkler, and former President of Sony Music Entertainment Thomas Hesse.

“Research is critical to building the foundations for AI music, but the tech is only an empty vessel when it doesn’t engage with the culture it is meant to serve,” said Ary Attie, founder and CEO of KLAY. “KLAY’s obsession is not just to showcase its research innovation but to make it invisible and mission-critical to people’s daily lives.”

Universal Music Group also announced a new partnership with Meta Platforms Inc. a few weeks ago to tackle AI music issues. However, not all relationships with other AI companies are friendly. According to Reuters, Universal is in litigation with multiple AI startups, including Anthropic, over the use of the label’s music to train AI models.