LOS ANGELES: Spotify has partnered with major labels, including Sony Music Group, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group, to develop "responsible" AI products that empower artists and songwriters.

Spotify has announced a new initiative to make "significant investments in AI research and product development," marking one of the first collaborative efforts among major music companies to create tools that address artists' and songwriters' concerns about the use of AI in music.

The platform stated that it plans to expand this partnership to include more distributors and rights holders in the future, according to Variety.

Although Spotify doesn't outline any specific products in the works, the company states that plans are in place to build a generative AI research lab and a product team to develop technologies that align with its mission.

They lay out four areas of focus: partnering with labels, distributors and publishing companies to develop products for artists and fans through upfront agreements; offering artists and rights-holders the ability to opt-in to using generative music tools; building products to create new revenue streams; and creating a stronger artist-fan connection with the AI tools.

"Some voices in the tech industry believe copyright should be abolished. We don't," the release states. "Musicians' rights matter. Copyright is essential. If the music industry doesn't lead in this moment, AI-powered innovation will happen elsewhere, without rights, consent, or compensation. Together with rightsholders, artists, and songwriters, we are making significant investments in AI research and product development."

As per Variety, the development comes less than a month after Spotify introduced new AI safeguards, disclosing that it had removed more than 75 million "spammy" tracks from the platform over the past year