Universal Music Group and TikTok renew licensing deal with AI music safeguards

In short: Universal Music Group and TikTok renewed their licensing agreement and promised to remove unauthorized AI-generated music from TikTok and improve how creators are credited.

What happened

Universal Music Group, also known as UMG, and TikTok said they have renewed a global licensing agreement. A licensing agreement is the permission that lets TikTok legally use UMG’s songs in videos.

The companies said the updated deal includes a commitment to remove unauthorized AI-generated music from TikTok. AI-generated music is music made by software, sometimes designed to sound like a real artist (like a convincing impersonator). They also said they will improve artist and songwriter attribution, which means showing clearer credit for who made the music.

This is a change in tone after a public dispute in 2024. At that time, UMG accused TikTok of not doing enough to address AI-generated music and copyright concerns. UMG temporarily pulled its music catalog from TikTok, and many popular tracks disappeared from user videos.

Why it matters

For regular users, this could mean fewer fake songs that copy a famous voice and fewer videos using music that was uploaded without permission. For artists and songwriters, better policing and clearer credit can affect their reputation and how money is shared, since platforms and labels decide payments based on what music is used and by whom.

Source: TechCrunch AI