Let’s learn together. Music AI experiments from YouTube & Google DeepMind.
Over my 40 years working for artists and creatives, I’ve lived through countless technological cycles. From the Roland TR-808, which revolutionized digital drum programming, to the Fairlight CMI, the first commercial digital sampler, to Auto-Tune … technology in music is many times met with apprehension but often leads to profound creative progress.
But let’s speak the truth – technology in music can also be disruptive. Digital piracy undermined our creative industries for far too long, and it took time for streaming to meaningfully contribute to the bottom line …
That's why today's announcements mark an important opportunity for the music industry, tech industry, and creative communities to come together early and shape the future of AI collaboratively. Generative AI can create immense value for all creatives, as it enriches human creativity in ways unimaginable just a few months ago. But the journey to unlocking this value will be bumpy, which is why we want to test and learn in deep partnership with our music industry partners, artists, songwriters, and producers.
AI will never replace human creativity. It's not a competitor, it’s a collaborator. It empowers creatives to focus on what truly matters: unique intentions, creative vision, and taste.
First I’d like to expand on our announcement of a set of music AI Tools for professional musicians. We launched a Music AI Incubator in August, and we are learning from renowned artists, producers, and songwriters. Their feedback inspired us to develop new AI tools, allowing musicians to experiment with new ways to enhance their creative process. Imagine humming a melody and instantly getting a feel for the instruments that can bring that melody to life – trumpet or guitar?
Secondly, we announced an experiment in YouTube Shorts called Dream Track, powered by Google DeepMind’s most advanced AI music generation model to date, Lyria. As of today, we will let a small group of select US YouTube creators create soundtracks for their Shorts that are up to 30 seconds long and use the AI-generated voice of artists who have partnered with us to participate in this experiment. We are deeply honored to collaborate with Alec Benjamin, Charli XCX, Charlie Puth, Demi Lovato, John Legend, Papoose, Sia, T-Pain, and Troye Sivan (with more artists on the way) who have all chosen to participate in this experiment as we test and learn to shape the future of AI in music. Dream Track is meant to create deeper connections between artists, creators, and fans. Users can dive into the musical universe of participating artists with personal prompts that allow them to explore the artist's artistry in unprecedented ways. To learn more about these experiments, I encourage you to read our announcement blog.