Music Artists Coalition Lays Out Ethical Guidelines in Wake of UMG/Udio Deal

In a recent statement, Music Artists Coalition (MAC) has outlined how artists can be properly considered following the landmark deal between Universal Music Group (UMG) and the major AI music generation company, Udio.

The details:

• MAC laid out three key guidelines to ensure artists are not overlooked as AI becomes further integrated into the music industry.

• Artist consent: Artists having the final say if and how their work is used for AI training.

• Fair compensation: Proper royalty splits should they all their music to be part of AI training programs.

• Deal and data clarity: Being fully aware of the terms of any deals struck.

• Large-scale AI deals have offered concessions, such as opt-in, to allow artists some control over their involvement.

• MAC’s key points are meant to further clarify how that can work in artists' favor.

What they said:

• Irving Azoff, board member and founder of MAC: “Every technological advance offers opportunity, but we have to make sure it doesn’t come at the expense of the people who actually create the music - artists and songwriters. We've seen this before - everyone talks about 'partnership,' but artists end up on the sidelines with scraps. Artists must have creative control, fair compensation, and clarity about deals being done based on their catalogs."

• Ron Gubitz, MAC’s Executive Director: "Artist opt-in sounds promising, but participation without fair compensation isn't partnership; it's just permission. Artists create the work that makes these AI systems possible. They deserve both control over how their work is used and appropriate compensation for its value generation. The music industry is at a crossroads. The decisions being made right now will shape how music gets created, distributed, and monetized for decades to come."