Udio, an AI music startup facing ongoing litigation from major record labels alongside its competitor Suno, has struck a new partnership with content identification platform Audible Magic.
New York-based Udio on Tuesday (April 29) said it will integrate Audible Magic‘s audio fingerprinting and content identification technology directly into its generative music platform. Audible Magic is a California-based company that provides content identification services to social networks, record labels, music publishers, and TV and movie studios.
The move creates what the companies call a “content control pipeline” that allows streaming services and distributors to identify AI-generated tracks from Udio’s platform and apply appropriate licensing rules.
For Udio, the partnership appears to be an attempt to address concerns about unauthorized use and rights management in AI music creation.
Almost a year ago, a group of recording companies including Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group’s UMG Recordings, and Warner Records Inc. filed a lawsuit against Udio and Suno, alleging both companies trained their AI systems on copyrighted recordings without permission.
Udio and Suno have argued that their use of copyrighted materials falls under the “fair use” exemption to US copyright law, and accused the recording companies of launching the lawsuits to prevent competition.
“Working with Audible Magic allows us to create a transparent signal in the music supply chain,” Udio Co-Founder Andrew Sanchez said.
“By fingerprinting at the point of generation, we’re helping establish a new benchmark for accountability and clarity in the age of generative music. We believe that this partnership will open the door for new licensing structures and monetization pathways that will benefit stakeholders across the industry from artists to rights holders to technology platforms.”
“By fingerprinting at the point of generation, we’re helping establish a new benchmark for accountability and clarity in the age of generative music.”
Andrew Sanchez, Udio
Udio says its approach creates a registry of fingerprinted works at the creation point rather than after distribution. When users generate tracks using Udio’s platform, each composition will be automatically registered with Audible Magic’s ID system, creating a signal that follows the track throughout the digital supply chain.
“By addressing distribution risks head-on and contributing to a more transparent digital supply chain, Udio is setting a new industry standard for how AI and music can coexist responsibly,” the company said.
Kuni Takahashi, CEO of Audible Magic, said the partnership “demonstrates Udio’s substantial commitment to rights holder transparency and content provenance.
“Registering files directly from the first-party source is a clean and robust way to identify the use of AI-generated music in the supply chain.”
The integration will roll out over the coming months, according to the companies.
Audible Magic has provided content identification services for over 25 years. The startup says it developed the Emmy Award-winning technology that powers content recognition for many major digital platforms.
In December, Audible Magic partnered with Music AI, another AI-powered audio technology company, to help film and TV companies manage music licensing.
For Udio, the Audible Magic integration marks its latest feature after recently rolling out a new tool that clones the “sonic identity” of existing tracks.
Music Business Worldwide
