AI music generator Udio affords temporary window for downloads after Universal settlement upsets customers

Artificial intelligence music technology platform Udio mentioned it will give its pissed off customers 48 hours beginning Monday to obtain their songs earlier than the corporate shifts to a brand new enterprise mannequin to adjust to a authorized settlement.

The quick reprieve comes after Udio on Wednesday mentioned it had settled copyright infringement claims introduced by Universal Music, a label with artists together with Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Drake and Kendrick Lamar.

AI corporations are actually combating so many copyright lawsuits {that a} tech business foyer group, the Chamber of Progress, final week referred to as on U.S. President Donald Trump to signal an government order directing federal attorneys “to intervene in authorized instances” to defend the business’s follow of constructing generative AI instruments by feeding them on copyrighted works.

Citing greater than 50 pending federal instances, the group requested for assist stopping courtroom fights resulting in “probably company-killing penalties” that threaten AI innovation. But artists have warned that AI instruments constructed on their works additionally threaten their livelihoods.

In the largest settlement thus far, AI firm Anthropic agreed to pay $1.5 billion — or $3,000 per guide — to settle claims from authors who alleged the corporate illegally pirated practically half 1,000,000 of their works to coach its chatbot.

Udio and Universal did not disclose the monetary phrases of their new music licensing agreements. They additionally mentioned they may workforce up on a brand new streaming platform.

As a part of the settlement, Udio instantly stopped permitting folks to obtain songs they’ve created, which sparked a backlash and obvious exodus amongst paying customers.

“We know the ache it causes to you,” Udio later mentioned in a put up on Reddit’s Udio discussion board, the place customers had been venting about feeling betrayed by the platform’s shock transfer and complained that it restricted what they might do with their music.

Udio mentioned it nonetheless should cease downloads because it transitions to a brand new streaming platform subsequent 12 months. But over the weekend, it mentioned it is going to give folks 48 hours beginning at 11 a.m. Eastern time Monday to maintain their “previous creations.”

“Udio is a small firm working in an extremely complicated and evolving house, and we consider that partnering straight with artists and songwriters is the way in which ahead,” mentioned Udio’s put up.

The settlement deal was the music business’s first since Universal, together with Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Records, sued Udio and one other AI music generator, Suno, final 12 months over copyright infringement.

Udio and Suno pioneered AI music technology expertise, which might spit out new songs based mostly on prompts typed right into a chatbot-style textual content field. Users, who don’t want musical expertise, can merely request a tune within the model of, for instance, traditional rock, Nineteen Eighties synth-pop or West Coast rap.

Record labels have accused the platforms of exploiting the recorded works of artists with out compensating them.

In its lawsuit filed towards Udio final 12 months, Universal sought to point out how particular AI-generated songs made on Udio intently resembled Universal-owned classics like Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” The Temptations’ “My Girl,” ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” and vacation favorites like “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” and “Jingle Bell Rock.”

A musician-led group, the Artist Rights Alliance, mentioned Friday that the Universal-Udio settlement represents a optimistic step in making a “reputable AI market” however raised questions on whether or not impartial artists, session musicians and songwriters will probably be sufficiently protected against AI practices that current an “existential menace” to their careers.

“Licensing is the one model of AI’s future that doesn’t outcome within the mass destruction of artwork and tradition,” the group mentioned. “But this promise have to be obtainable to all music creators, not simply to main company copyright holders.”