SoundCloud launches new generative AI tools while pledging to remain ethical

The company also announced partnerships with Audible Magic and Pex

Despite the controversy over the use of AI in the creation of art, which nearly 90% of artists believing current copyright laws do not protect them from generative AI technology, and over 74% believing the current method of scraping the internet for artwork is unethical, that has not stopped some of the biggest names in music from embracing the technology: for example, Universal Music Group has partnered with SoundLabs, an AI technology company offering responsibly trained AI tools for music creators, and it has also teamed up with "ethical AI music company" KLAY Vision to develop AI music tools that it says also respect copyright laws.

SoundCloud has also begun offering its users access to artificial intelligence, and on Wednesday it launched six new generative AI tools, while also entering into two new partnerships, while also pledging to remain ethical. 

Among those new assistive AI tools are Tuney, which enables remixing, editing, and new track generation, and Tuttii, an AI-driven remixing platform for licensed music.

Others include AlBeatz for generating and customizing beats; TwoShot, a collaborative AI tool for creating custom samples; Starmony, which is tailored for singers and rappers to create music; and ACE Studio, which allows for generating singing vocals from MIDI and lyrics with AI voices.

Songs uploaded directly to SoundCloud will be automatically tagged to show the tool used, for example it will say, “Made with Tutti," and artists can edit their newly uploaded tracks directly from their SoundCloud profile page.  

"Creating music traditionally required access to specialized tools, training, and resources. But with these new AI-powered integrations, SoundCloud is democratizing music creation, making it easier for millions of creators worldwide to express their creativity," the company wrote in the announcement.

"Our newest AI tools give artists and fans alike the resources to remix, edit, and produce music without a studio or extensive experience."

These new tools join SoundCloud’s existing AI integrations with Fadr, Soundful, and Voice-Swap.

The company also pledged to reinforce its commitment to "responsible, innovative and ethical use of creative AI tools," and to provide all of its existing and new AI partners wuth access to content identification solutions "ensuring rights holders receive proper credit and compensation."

To this end, the company announced two new partnerships, first with Audible Magic, a startup that assists platforms with bringing music to their users by giving its customers access more than 100 million songs, samples, and related metadata for more than 40 territories. It also provides APIs that enable them to integrate and customize music for their app.

The second partnership is with Pex, a company that uses AI-powered technology trained to identify even heavily modified versions of audio and video. Its customers can identify music and rightsholders for licensing, content management, compliance, and anti-piracy, as well as find and track uploads of audio and video content across over 20 digital platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

"With technology that can identify content down to a second, Pex provides copyright compliance for platforms and music tools while enabling rightsholders to monitor and capitalize on the content they own. Our technology ensures that inputs and outputs used and developed by AI companies protects copyright while providing space for innovation and the future of music," Pex wrote in a blog post.

"This partnership reinforces SoundCloud’s pledge to responsible music creation as it continues to democratize music-making for all."

Finally, SoundCloud also revealed that it joined AI For Music’s “Principles for Music Creation with AI,” pledging to uphold ethical and transparent AI practices that respect creators’ rights.

“SoundCloud is paving the way for a future where AI unlocks creative potential and makes music creation accessible to millions, while upholding responsible and ethical practices," Eliah Seton, CEO of SoundCloud, said in a statement. 

"We’re proud to be the platform that supports creators at every level,  fuels experimentation and empowers fandom."