Universal Music Group (UMG) and TikTok recently announced the renewal of their licensing agreement, which includes a commitment to get rid of unauthorized AI-generated music from the platform to improve how artists and songwriters are credited.
In their joint announcement, UMG stated the agreement “extends TikTok and UMG’s groundbreaking commitment to AI protections that promote human artistry and ensure platform economics effectively flow through to artists and songwriters. TikTok and UMG will work together to remove unauthorized AI-generated music from the platform, while further improving artist and songwriter attribution.”
This new agreement represents a notable shift in the relationship between UMG and TikTok.
For years, UMG has pushed platforms, streaming services, and AI companies to implement stricter content moderation policies. Tensions between UMG and TikTok escalated in 2024 when UMG accused TikTok of inadequately addressing issues related to AI-generated music and copyright. This public dispute led to UMG temporarily pulling its music catalog from TikTok — a decision that underscored the app’s growing reliance on major label licenses as popular tracks vanished from user videos overnight.
The timing of TikTok’s commitment to crack down on fake or unlicensed music is significant, especially as the music industry wrestles with an influx of AI-generated content. Over the past couple of years, the industry has been increasingly worried about AI tools that can mimic artists’ voices or create counterfeit songs that exploit streaming algorithms. Viral AI-generated tracks imitating big names like Drake and The Weeknd sparked widespread concern, especially when some racked up millions of streams before being taken down.
The deal may also serve as a template for how the broader tech industry navigates the collision of AI, intellectual property, and platform accountability. As the EU tightens its regulatory grip on AI-generated content (and U.S. states increasingly follow suit), the pressure on other platforms to formalize similar governance frameworks is growing.
TikTok has been working to demonstrate to the music industry that it can deliver significant earnings for artists and rights holders. Last year, the platform launched “TikTok for Artists,” an insights platform designed to help artists strengthen their promotional efforts and provide music labels with access to data.
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Lauren covers media, streaming, apps and platforms at TechCrunch.
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