Universal Music Group Partners With NVIDIA To Advance Responsible AI In Music

Universal Music Group (UMG) has entered into a new partnership with AI chipmaker NVIDIA to develop responsible artificial intelligence solutions for music discovery, creation and fan engagement. The collaboration, announced on January 6, will focus on joint research and development, with a strong emphasis on supporting human creativity and ensuring fair compensation for rights holders, including the identification and protection of copyrighted works in AI-driven use cases.

A central pillar of the partnership is NVIDIA’s Music Flamingo initiative, launched in November, which enables deep musical analysis beyond surface-level genre classifications. The technology examines a wide range of musical elements such as harmony, structure, tempo, instrumentation, key, lyricism, emotional resonance, chord progressions, as well as cultural and historical context.

UMG views Music Flamingo as a tool that can enhance music discovery by helping fans form deeper connections with songs, albums and artists based on nuanced musical characteristics rather than traditional categorisation alone. The platform is also positioned as a resource for artists, allowing them to analyse their own work in greater depth, while giving listeners new ways to engage with music they already love and discover new material that resonates more personally.

“We’re excited to establish this ground-breaking strategic relationship which unites the world’s leading technology company with the world’s leading music company in a shared mission to harness revolutionary AI technology to dramatically advance the interests of the creative community and the role of music in global culture,” said Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group. Grainge added that NVIDIA’s commitment to responsible AI principles was “critically important” as the industry works to balance innovation with the protection of copyright and human creativity.

Human creativity is also central to the second phase of the partnership, which will see the launch of a dedicated artist incubator backed by both companies. Rather than promoting fully automated, generative AI music models, the incubator will bring together artists, songwriters and producers to explore how NVIDIA’s AI tools can enhance creative workflows without replacing human input.

According to the companies, the incubator is designed to prioritise hands-on artist involvement, developing tools that support originality and authenticity while countering the rise of generic, low-quality AI-generated content. These efforts will extend to creative labs within UMG’s global studio network, while NVIDIA’s AI capabilities will also be integrated into UMG’s broader corporate operations.

The NVIDIA partnership builds on UMG’s growing slate of AI-focused collaborations, which include deals with Splice, Udio, KLAY and BandLab, among others.

Richard Kerris, NVIDIA’s Vice President and General Manager of Media, said the collaboration signals a shift in how music catalogues can be explored and experienced. “We’re entering an era where a music catalogue can be explored like an intelligent universe, conversational, contextual and genuinely interactive,” Kerris said, adding that the partnership aims to reshape global music discovery while maintaining safeguards that protect artists’ rights and ensure proper attribution.