YouTube to start cracking down on AI clones of musicians
“We’re taking the time to balance these benefits with ensuring the continued safety of our community at this pivotal moment,” YouTube explains.
Image: Budrul Chukrut/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
YouTube is to start cracking down on AI clones of musicians, giving music labels the ability to take down content.
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According to a company blog post made public on YouTube, the move requires creators to begin labelling AI-generated content that they believe to be “realistic” when uploading videos.
While much of this new development is concerned with ensuring that viewers aren’t misled and harmed by false information and synthetically created content, there is also a real focus on giving music partners more control in determining whether something is the product of AI or not.
The AI-created track Heart On My Sleeve hit the headlines earlier this year after being uploaded to streaming services including YouTube, featuring the synthetically created vocals of The Weeknd and Drake. While it was taken down by Universal Music Group, now labels will be able to take swift action in either ensuring that it has been labelled as AI-generated, or it has been removed from YouTube.
“In determining whether to grant a removal request, we’ll consider factors such as whether content is the subject of news reporting, analysis or critique of the synthetic vocals,” explain YouTube Product Management vice presidents Jennifer Flannery O’Connor and Emily Moxley.
“These removal requests will be available to labels or distributors who represent artists participating in YouTube’s early AI music experiments.”
Regardless of their concern to keep artists and labels protected, YouTube appear to be excited by the potential of new technology, and what it can mean for the platform.
“We’re taking the time to balance these benefits with ensuring the continued safety of our community at this pivotal moment,” they continue, “and we’ll work hand-in-hand with creators, artists and others across the creative industries to build a future that benefits us all.”
