NEW YORK.- Universal Music Group (UMG) has attacked the approach of TikTok to the Artificial intelligence (IA), at a time when the dispute between both companies over song copyrights is worsening and more popular music is being removed from that social network.
The outcome of the negotiations, which are being closely watched, could have significant repercussions throughout the sector, as two of the most powerful players in the music and technology industries vie for power in a landscape plagued by uncertainty over the use of AI.
In early February, music by Taylor Swift, BTS and Drake left TikTok after talks with Universal broke down over renewing their rights deal, which was set to expire on January 31.
Then, this week, TikTok began removing music from all artists related to Universal’s vast publishing catalog, at the multinational’s request, and all songs written by Universal Music Publishing Group composers were removed.
Posture de TikTok
That affects any artist who may have a publishing deal with the label – examples include Harry Styles and SZA – even if they are not signed under the UMG recording umbrella.
“We are in the process of carrying out Universal Music Group’s request to remove all songs that have been written (or co-written) by a songwriter signed to Universal Music Publishing Group, based on the information they have provided,” TikTok reported in a statement. a statement, ensuring that they remain committed to reaching an equitable agreement with the music giant.
“Their actions not only affect the songwriters and artists they represent, but now also affect many artists and songwriters who are not signed to Universal,” TikTok added.
“Fair value”
Universal countered late Thursday in an open statement to its songwriters, noting that TikTok has not agreed to recognize the fair value of its songs.
“In addition to royalties, TikTok refuses to respond to our concerns about AI depriving songwriters of fair compensation, or provide assurances that they will not train their AI models on their songs,” Universal said. “Everything indicates that they simply do not value their music.”
Owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, with more than 1 billion users.
TikTok had previously accused Universal of putting greed above the interests of artists, while Universal has said that TikTok is trying to build a business based on music, without paying fair value for it.
The consequences of the dispute have generated concern among artists, songwriters and producers, who rely on TikTok as a promotional tool.
The dispute became public in February, just as much of the music world gathered in the US city of Los Angeles for the Grammy Awards.
Speaking to reporters backstage at the awards show, producer Jack Antonoff – who works with artists such as Swift and Lana Del Rey – criticized Universal’s approach.
“You have a whole industry saying, ‘You have to do it all, you have to do it all, and this is where you have to do it,’ and then one day it’s like, ‘Phew!'” he said, referring to music leaving Tiktok.
FUENTE: AFP
