Spotify CEO defends move to AI music: "instead of curbing AI music slop"

Spotify co-CEO Alex Norström has defended the streaming platform's move into AI-generated music, claiming it offers users and creators a better alternative to piracy and unregulated AI slop.

"We want to be the one that's legal and the one that's controlled", said Norström.

"Instead of curbing AI music slop, (providing these features) offers artists protection from piracy, and music lovers more freedom to listen to and create more of the kind of music they want".

Recently, the platform announced a new feature allowing premium users to create their own, AI-generated remixes and song covers using music from participating artists, pitching the upcoming features as "legal" and "controlled" alternatives to unregulated AI music.

Norström stated that the platform is trying to stop "rogue attempts" at AI remixes and covers, and instead offers an alternative where musicians can consent to the use of their work and make money from it.

The feature comes as part of a deal with Universal Music Group. Details are yet to emerge on how this new feature will work, and the companies did not reveal which artists would participate in the licensing deal. Universal Music Group is home to artists such as Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and Olivia Rodrigo.

Spotify has been developing beyond the traditional music subscription to adopt AI into its system.

At the end of April, the platform announced a new verification system to help users differentiate between human artists and AI-generated content. A green badge will begin appearing on artists' profiles, meaning it meets their standards for authenticity.

At the beginning of this month, it announced a beta feature letting AI agents save and play "personal podcasts", a daily briefing private to the user.

"Solving hard problems for music is what Spotify does, and fan-made covers and remixes are next", said Norström.

"What we're building is grounded in consent, credit, and compensation for the artists and songwriters that take part. Through technological transformation, we have worked together with Sir Lucian (Universal Music Group CEO) and his team to evolve the music ecosystem into a richer, more beneficial experience for fans and a more rewarding outcome for artists and songwriters".

"I think if you're going to have AI music, it's clearly better that you have AI music that is rooted in consent", stated composer and campaigner for protecting artists' copyright, Edward Newton-Rex.

"The big question will be whether fans can share remixes they make for other people to listen to. If they can, I think you get into dangerous territory. These AI remixes will flood Spotify and drown out other songs, which will in turn put pressure on more musicians to sign up to the AI remix feature".