UMG and TikTok Extend Pact to Remove Unauthorized AI Music

Universal Music Group and TikTok have agreed to renew their licensing arrangement, which includes a joint effort to eliminate unauthorized AI-generated music from TikTok and improve the attribution of artists and songwriters.

In a joint statement, UMG described the updated agreement as an extension of their “groundbreaking commitment to AI protections that promote human artistry and ensure platform economics effectively flow through to artists and songwriters.” The two parties pledged to collaborate on removing unauthorized AI-created music while enhancing recognition for creators.

This development marks a significant change in the dynamic between UMG and TikTok. For several years, UMG has urged platforms, streaming services, and AI firms to adopt stricter content moderation policies. The relationship between UMG and TikTok became strained in 2024 when UMG accused TikTok of insufficiently addressing AI-generated music and copyright concerns. This dispute resulted in UMG temporarily withdrawing its music catalog from TikTok, highlighting the platform’s dependence on major label licenses as popular songs disappeared from user-generated videos.

The timing of TikTok’s renewed commitment to combat fake or unlicensed music is notable amid the music industry’s challenges with a surge of AI-generated content. Recently, the industry has expressed increasing alarm over AI tools capable of replicating artists’ voices or producing counterfeit songs designed to exploit streaming algorithms. Viral AI-generated tracks mimicking prominent artists like Drake and The Weeknd raised concerns, especially when some amassed millions of streams before removal.

This agreement could also act as a model for how the technology sector manages the intersection of AI, intellectual property rights, and platform responsibility. With the European Union strengthening regulations on AI-generated content and various U.S. states following suit, pressure is mounting on other platforms to establish formal governance frameworks for such content.

TikTok has been striving to prove its value to the music industry by generating substantial revenue for artists and rights holders. Last year, the platform introduced “TikTok for Artists,” an insights tool aimed at helping artists enhance their promotional strategies and providing music labels with access to data.