The News: On August 21, YouTube announced it is launching a new initiative called the YouTube Music AI Incubator. In the blog post by YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, the company said it has enlisted a range of Universal Music Group’s artists, such as Anitta, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Don Was, Rosanne Cash, and Yo Gotti to “…help gather insights on generative AI experiments and research that are being developed at YouTube.”
Mohan said in partnership with artists, YouTube intended “to develop an AI framework to help us towards our common goals. These three fundamental AI principles serve to enhance music’s creative expression while also protecting music artists and the integrity of their work.”
The principles are:
- AI is here, and we will embrace it responsibly together with our music partners.
- AI is ushering in a new age of creative expression, but it must include appropriate protections and unlock opportunities for music partners who decide to participate.
- We’ve built an industry-leading trust and safety organization and content policies. We will scale those to meet the challenges of AI.
Read the full blog post on YouTube Music AI by CEO Neal Mohan here.
YouTube Enlists UMG Artists to Tinker in YouTube Music AI Incubator
Analyst Take: Generative AI is both a technology of potential and one of threat. Perhaps that is nowhere more evident than in the creation of and protections required for media content. YouTube and parent Alphabet/Google have a lot at stake in this area particularly when it comes to music content, so the fact that the company has initiated a project to address generative AI and music is a positive step. What will the near-term and longer-term impacts of YouTube’s work be? Here is a look at the critical issues.
YouTube Wants to Experiment With Artists as Partners
It is important to pay attention what the YouTube Music AI Incubator is – a way to gather insights from artists about “generative AI experiments and research that are being developed at YouTube…working together, we will better understand how these technologies can be most valuable for artists and fans, how they can enhance creativity and where we can seek to solve critical issues for the future.”
This implies that YouTube has some ideas in mind, but wants to test them with creators. Let’s speculate. It would make the most sense that YouTube would be thinking first about revenue-generating or protecting initiatives. Artists get paid for views on YouTube, and YouTube gets paid by advertisers who want to be associated with those views. Does YouTube have marketing-related Gen AI in mind, something that might require licensed artists’ buy-in? Note again the specific wording: “Our deep partnership with the music industry has enabled us to innovate and evolve together — building products, features, and experiences, from our YouTube Music and Premium subscription services, to global livestreaming capabilities, that spur originality and bring communities of fans even closer together.”
In further speculation, it is possible that YouTube has ideas around creative content generation – extensions of songs, video trailers, exclusive content, etc. — using AI that would require specific permission from artists and compensation to artists for its use exclusively on YouTube platforms. It does not otherwise make sense that YouTube would get involved in broader issues creators are beginning to have to protect artists’ non-generative AI copyrighted content or conversely, to defend the rights of generative AI content creators to create generative AI art.
Regardless, it is important to note that the YouTube Music AI Incubator is to test generative AI ideas that require artist permission.
No Concrete Action Yet on Protecting Artists’ Rights Management
In outlining principle #2, YouTube merely states its commitment to protecting creators’ rights and to help them make money on the platform; there was no concrete action to address how generative AI might impact artists’ rights described. To be fair, it is very early days, though content creator rights and compensation issues are being addressed in other creative fields like image generation.
Plans to Scale Up Safety and Content Policies to Address Generative AI
In detailing its principle #3, YouTube explains that it has safeguards in place to protect viewers, but company officials speculate that generative AI might be used to further protect viewers from all types of content. No specific initiative was detailed.
Conclusion
YouTube is taking initial steps to work in partnership with music artists, specifically Universal Music Group artists currently, to build an AI framework together based on three principles to enhance creative expression, protect artists, and protect viewers. The YouTube Music AI Incubator is a concrete first step likely focused on revenue-generating initiatives involving generative AI. Initiatives to protect artists and viewers have not yet been specified.
Other insights from The Futurum Group:
Adults in the Generative AI Rumpus Room: Google, DynamoFL, and AWS
Google Search Generative Experience: Will Gen AI Impact Search?
Author Information
Based in Tampa, Florida, Mark is a veteran market research analyst with 25 years of experience interpreting technology business and holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida.
