Spotify has announced a partnership with the world’s leading music companies, including Sony Music Group, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Merlin, and Believe, to develop responsible, artist-centered AI music products jointly.
The collaboration aims to harness generative AI technology to empower artists and songwriters, strengthen fan connections, and ensure fair compensation and creative integrity across the global music ecosystem.
The initiative comes amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence, which are reshaping how music is created, distributed, and consumed. Spotify’s move seeks to unite key stakeholders around a shared set of principles that balance innovation with the protection of artists’ rights. The company emphasized that this partnership will help prevent the misuse of AI, such as impersonation, copyright violations, and deceptive content, while unlocking new ways for artists to reach audiences.
Spotify will collaborate directly with record labels, distributors, and publishers to develop AI-driven tools and features that are built on upfront licensing agreements, ensuring creators are fairly compensated and credited for their work.
The streaming platform also confirmed that artists and rights holders will retain full control over how and if they participate in AI-related projects, reflecting the industry’s diverse perspectives on the role of AI in music creation.
The collaboration is grounded in four key principles:
- Partnerships with rights holders — new AI products will be developed transparently and with licensing agreements in place.
- Choice in participation — artists and rights holders decide whether and how to use AI tools.
- Fair compensation and new revenue — AI innovation will create new income streams for artists and songwriters.
- Artist-fan connection — AI will augment, not replace, human creativity, helping artists connect more deeply with audiences.
Spotify’s internal AI initiatives, including its AI DJ, daylist, and AI Playlist features, have already demonstrated how generative AI can enhance music discovery and personalization. The company is now expanding these capabilities through a new generative AI research lab and product team.
The lab will collaborate with artists, songwriters, and producers, as well as partners across the tech ecosystem, to develop AI tools that reflect Spotify’s values of creativity, transparency, and respect for rights.
Spotify executives said the goal is to ensure the next generation of music technology strengthens, rather than undermines, the creative economy.
The company plans to continue investing in AI research and development to maintain its position as a global leader in music innovation, serving 700+ million listeners each month while deepening artist-fan relationships through technology.
KEY QUOTES:
“Technology should always serve artists, not the other way around. Our focus at Spotify is making sure innovation supports artists by protecting their rights, respecting their creative choices, and creating new ways for fans to discover and enjoy the music they love.”
Alex Norström, Co-President and Chief Business Officer, Spotify
“AI is the most consequential technology shift since the smartphone, and it’s already reshaping how music is created and experienced. At Spotify, we want to build this future hand in hand with the music industry, guided by clear principles and deep respect for creators.”
Gustav Söderström, Co-President and Chief Product and Technology Officer, Spotify
“We are pleased to be collaborating with Spotify to develop responsible generative AI offerings that broaden opportunities for artists and songwriters, whilst enhancing the music experience for fans. This is an acknowledgement that direct licensing in advance of launching new products is the only appropriate way to build them and demonstrates how a properly functioning market benefits everyone in the ecosystem and fuels innovation. We appreciate and applaud Spotify’s leadership at this critical period.”
Rob Stringer, Chairman, Sony Music Group
“For several years we’ve been driving initiatives with our partners to put artists at the center of the conversation about Gen AI and have struck Artist-Centric agreements that establish innovative new vehicles to unlock the opportunities presented by this revolutionary technology. I commend Daniel, Alex and Gustav on taking these critical steps forward to advance this approach. It is essential that we work with strategic partners such as Spotify to enable Gen AI products within a thriving commercial landscape in which artists, songwriters, fans, music companies and technology companies can all flourish.”
Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman & CEO, Universal Music Group
“We’ve been consistently focused on making sure AI works for artists and songwriters, not against them. That means collaborating with partners who understand the necessity for new AI licensing deals that protect and compensate rightsholders and the creative community. We support Spotify’s thoughtful AI guardrails, and welcome the opportunity to pioneer the future together.”
Robert Kyncl, CEO, Warner Music Group
“Merlin’s approach to the use of AI in music is straightforward. We actively look for partners who respect and value copyright, respect and value artists and want to enrich, not displace, the creative community. Spotify’s principles on AI announced today demonstrate that same commitment. We are excited to work together to ensure these principles translate into products that genuinely enhance the creative and commercial eco-system – for the benefit of our independent members, their artists and their fans.”
Charlie Lexton, COO, Merlin
“At Believe, we have always seen two sides to AI and GenAI. On the one side is ‘responsible AI,’ focused on artist and copyright protection, guided by our four principles of consent, control, compensation, and transparency. On the other side is ‘value-creative AI,’ innovations that place artists and their careers at the center, empowering creativity, accelerating music discovery, and deepening fan engagement. After supporting Spotify’s recent initiatives to strengthen AI protections, we are now thrilled to partner with Spotify to co-develop ‘value-creative AI’ tools that will fuel artist development and unlock new creative and commercial opportunities.”
Denis Ladegaillerie, Founder and CEO of Believe
