YouTube testing AI-generated music remixes for creators’ Shorts 

YouTube is reportedly trialling a new feature that will allow creators to use AI to ‘remix’ licensed songs for their Shorts posted on the platform.

Per The Verge, Only a small group of creators using YouTube will be given access to the feature for now. They will be able to enter a prompt based on aspects such as mood and genre in order to generate a reworked 30-second soundtrack for their video via YouTube’s Dream Track AI programme.

Announcing the trial, which is only available to creators in “the experiment group”, YouTube stated: “These restyled soundtracks will have clear attribution to the original song through the Short itself and the Shorts audio pivot page, and will also clearly indicate that the track was restyled with AI.”

Creators will be able to make songs using the AI-generated voices of artists who have agreed to participate in the experiment, YouTube said. Among these artists are Charli xcx, Demi Lovato and John Legend. It’s still unknown how limited the number of songs available for restyling will be, and exactly which record labels the platform has partnered with for this feature.

It was confirmed earlier this year, however, that YouTube was in talks with the ‘big three’ major labels Warner, Universal and Sony over an AI music licensing deal.

In May, a UK-based parliamentary group told the government that AI use in music should be regulated.

A report published in August of this year also found that generative AI could put a substantial amount of musicians’ revenue “at risk” by 2028.