Universal Music Group (UMG) has removed an AI-generated song featuring the artificial voices of popular artists Drake and The Weeknd, titled "Heart on My Sleeve," from streaming services due to copyright infringement. Before its removal, the song had been streamed 629,439 times on Spotify alone, earning approximately $1,888 (£1,500) at the platform's lowest royalty rate.
The music label claims that platforms have a fundamental legal and ethical responsibility to prevent their services from being used in ways that harm artists. UMG also called for streaming platforms to block AI companies from accessing their songs.
This incident marks Drake's second encounter with AI-generated content this week after an artificial version of his voice was added to Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's WAP.
Mckay Wrigley shared the now-viral video on Twitter saying: "AI music is here. This is the 1st example of AI generated music that really wowed me. With AI, you’ll soon be able to make unlimited music by your favorite artists on demand."
Some speculate that a startup tech firm orchestrated a publicity stunt leading up to this event as it highlights questions around which side stakeholders in the music ecosystem want to be on: supporting artists or promoting deep fakes and fraud.
Laylo — a startup firm responsible for hosting the website linked with Heart On My Sleeve — states they are dedicated towards helping creators gain additional followers using innovative tools such as 'drops.'