Artists Rights Alliance (ARA) responds to UMG-Udio AI deal

04 November 2025 - Press release

ARA is hopeful that the newly announced settlement between UMG and Udio represents a positive step towards an AI licensing ecosystem built on the foundational principles of meaningful artist consent and fair compensation for the use of copyrighted works.  At a minimum, this deal demonstrates fundamentally that licensing copyrighted materials for AI training is possible and that there is no excuse for those who still demand the right to steal creators' work. Putting that corrupt claim behind us opens the door for more serious discussions about the fairness and practicalities of these deals.

Of course, there remain important questions to be answered about the implications of the UMG/Udio resolution, including exactly which creators are entitled to its protections and what it offers to independent artists, session musicians, and songwriters. It is vital that those who create the music itself be part of the process of determining how that work is used and compensated in the new AI marketplace. 

AI tools hold some possibilities for creators and consumers when used ethically and responsibly. But when used for theft and exploitation of human art, AI becomes an existential threat both to artists and to the very nature of art itself.Licensing is the only version of AI's future that doesn't result in the mass destruction of art and culture, and the rash of recent settlements demonstrates that it is indeed possible to create a legitimate AI marketplace.  But this promise must be available to all music creators, not just to major corporate copyright holders. 

We welcome these first steps as a possible roadmap for what all artists deserve and expect. And we look forward to learning more about this deal and working with all responsible stakeholders to create a genuinely fair marketplace for everyone in our community.