Universal Music Group CEO Vows to Protect Artists from AI Threats

Universal Music Group (UMG) chief executive officer, Lucian Grainge spearheaded the start to counter advancements in generative artificial intelligence systems, intending to protect artists and songwriters’ work from being exploited. When questioned by investors after the company’s second quarter earnings report featuring UMG, Grainge reiterate the company’s devotion to fight against piracy.

“There is identification of some risks at the preliminary stage and protection is provided against them,” said Grainge. “It’s like having a stick when we continuously go the extra mile to push for better conditions for artists and open up novel opportunities for them and the creative and commercial industries.

UMG was among the first to adapt AI tools and technologies, as well as participating in collaborations with YouTube and Deezer in the maintenance of an artist-friendly method of payments for royalties. However, in a statement likely to be aimed at the AI models, Grainge was very clear that piracy is completely unacceptable at UMG. In recent times, UMG together with its partners Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music sued some AI start-ups in the federal courts of New York and Massachusetts on grounds of utilizing its copyrighted recordings unlawfully.

“These cases are based on the mass infringement of copyrighted sound recordings, on which for many years no-one had requested permission to copy or otherwise exploit,” Grainge said to analysts.

While announcing its second quarter earnings, UMG said it had posted an 8. 7 percent increase in overall revenue reaching €2 billion, this demonstrates that restructuring was efficient and its impact was. 73 bilion (US $ 3. 18 billion) and EBITDA before exceptional item increase by 10 % to €649m (US $704. Income from recorded music subscription has also risen by 5. 8 percent to €2. 2 billion (US$2. 39 billion), subscription and streaming forming only €1. 48 billion (US$1. 61 billion) and asserted that the government had the entire amount required for investment in hospitals.

UMG CFO known as Boyd Muir stressed that some top audio streaming services, especially concerning the ad-supported model, demonstrated inconsistencies, with Spotify and YouTube significantly decreasing the growth rates of ad revenues. Speaking to investors, Michael Nash, the chief digital officer of UMG, encouraged them to view the transition in the streaming and subscription service business on the extended timeline.

Recently, Spotify informed about the monthly active users growth that reached 14 percent year on year yet is 6 million below the forecast with 626 million. Market evolution was described by Grainge speaking in multiple years cycles.