Universal Music Group (UMG) and instrument maker Roland – known for its synthesizers and drum machines, among other things – have unveiled a joint manifesto aimed at the responsible use of AI in music.
The Principles for Music Creation with AI document is part of a new partnership between the two companies that will see them cooperate on AI tech and beyond.
In an announcement on Wednesday (March 20), UMG and Roland said they plan to establish a joint R&D hub, launch a collaborative project to develop methods for identifying the origin and ownership of music, and integrate Roland products and services in certain UMG-owned music production facilities worldwide.
The companies described the AI principles document as “a series of clarifying statements relating to the responsible use of AI in music creation,” and said they plan to “advocate their adoption across the music industry and creative community.”
UMG and Roland said they were brought together “by a mutual desire for clarity of direction and intention to the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in music creation.”
The manifesto lays out seven core principles:
- We believe music is central to humanity.
- We believe humanity and music are inseparable.
- We believe that technology has long supported human artistic expression, and applied sustainably, AI will amplify human creativity.
- We believe that human-created works must be respected and protected.
- We believe that transparency is essential to responsible and trustworthy AI.
- We believe the perspectives of music artists, songwriters, and other creators must be sought after and respected.
- We are proud to help bring music to life.
The seven principles contain echoes of the philosophy for AI use laid out a year ago by the Human Artistry Campaign, a group launched to ensure that AI is used in ways that support human creativity, and doesn’t “erode” human artistry.
Among the Human Artistry Campaign’s members are the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), of which UMG is a member, and the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), on whose board sits Jody Gerson, Chair and CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group.
These manifestos reflect both the hopes and fears of creators and rightsholders amid AI’s rapid adoption – hopes that the technology will be able to power creators to new heights, and fears that it could replace them altogether.
UMG and Roland said they “hope to spur the involvement of additional music organizations and stakeholders in support of these principles to help create an ethical framework for musical creativity to flourish and be protected for generations to come.”
“At UMG, we have long recognized and embraced the potential of AI to enhance and amplify human creativity, advance musical innovation, and expand the realms of audio production and sound technology. This can only happen if it is applied ethically and responsibly across the entire industry,” said Michael Nash, Chief Digital Officer, EVP, at Universal Music Group.
“We are delighted to collaborate with Roland, to explore new opportunities in this area together, while helping to galvanize consensus among key stakeholders across music’s creative community to promote adoption of these core principles with the goal of ensuring human creativity continues to thrive alongside the evolution of new technology.”
“At UMG, we have long recognized and embraced the potential of AI to enhance and amplify human creativity, advance musical innovation, and expand the realms of audio production and sound technology.”
Michael Nash, Universal Music Group
Amid the explosion of AI technology over the past year or so, UMG has been at the forefront of efforts to harness the technology for music, while simultaneously advocating for responsible use of the technology. The company has aggressively objected to unauthorized deepfakes, and is involved in a copyright infringement lawsuit against Anthropic, over that company’s alleged use of copyrighted lyrics to train its Claude chatbot.
In October, UMG announced that it’s teaming up with Singapore-headquartered BandLab Technologies, maker of the partly AI-driven BandLab music creation platform, on what it called “an expansive, industry-first strategic relationship concentrated on artificial intelligence.”
Stressing that the partnership “will advance the companies’ shared commitment to [the] ethical use of AI and the protection of artist and songwriter rights,” the two companies promised to “pioneer market-led solutions with pro-creator standards to ensure new technologies serve the creator community effectively and ethically.”
“We… have a deep belief that human creativity is irreplaceable, and it is our responsibility to protect artists’ rights.”
Masahiro Minowa, Roland Corporation
UMG also struck a partnership with YouTube last year to jointly develop AI-driven music creation tools. The companies announced the launch of a “Music AI Incubator’ at YouTube, where new tools and innovations would be developed with input from UMG-signed artists.
Also last year, UMG formed a “first-of-its-kind strategic relationship” with generative AI sound wellness startup Endel to create what they call “AI-powered, artist-driven functional music.”
Japan-headquartered Roland Corporation has also focused on using AI in its business. For instance, last year it inked a deal with Language Weaver, maker of an AI-driven machine translation technology, to improve translations of its business communications both internally and externally.
“Japan has a unique history of pioneering cutting-edge technology that has played a huge role in shaping music culture globally. I see similar opportunities with generative AI…”
Naoshi Fujikura, Universal Music Japan
“As companies who share a mutual history of technology innovation, both Roland and UMG believe that AI can play an important role in the creative process of producing music,” said Masahiro Minowa, Chief Innovation Officer at Roland.
“We also have a deep belief that human creativity is irreplaceable, and it is our responsibility to protect artists’ rights. The Principles for Music Creation with AI establishes a framework for our ongoing collaboration to explore opportunities that converge at the intersection of technology and human creativity.”
Naoshi Fujikura, President and CEO of Universal Music Japan, added: “Japan has a unique history of pioneering cutting-edge technology that has played a huge role in shaping music culture globally. I see similar opportunities with generative AI, provided we start from a foundation of protecting human creativity and securing the interests of our artists.
“I hope that together with Roland, we can build upon our legacy of innovation and continue to enhance creativity and the production of music for years to come.”Music Business Worldwide
