YouTube launches Music AI incubator with Universal Music as partner

YouTube has launched an incubator to partner with artists and musicians to explore the use of AI in music, according to a blog post on Monday.

The Alphabet Universal Music unit has named the first incubator partner and will collaborate with artists such as Anitta, Björn Ulvaeus and ABBA’s Max Ricther.

“The incubator will advance YouTube’s approach to partnering with the music industry’s most innovative artists, songwriters and producers,” YouTube CEO Neil Mohan said in the blog.

The group will “help gather insights into generative AI experiments and studies being developed on YouTube,” Mohan said, adding that YouTube will bring more partners on board.

Generative AI is artificial intelligence that can generate text, images, sounds, and other data.

With the launch of ChatGPT late last year, the technology has been adopted across a wide range of industries and use cases, even as lawmakers enact rules to prevent violations like copyright infringement and spam.

YouTube said it will continue to invest in technology that relies on artificial intelligence, including developing a copyright management tool, Content ID, to protect viewers and creators.