{"id":78,"date":"2025-05-10T19:40:21","date_gmt":"2025-05-10T15:40:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.actutech.app\/soundcloud-says-it-isnt-using-your-music-to-train-generative-ai-tools\/"},"modified":"2025-05-10T19:40:21","modified_gmt":"2025-05-10T15:40:21","slug":"soundcloud-says-it-isnt-using-your-music-to-train-generative-ai-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.actutech.app\/en\/soundcloud-says-it-isnt-using-your-music-to-train-generative-ai-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"SoundCloud says it isn\u2019t using your music to train generative AI tools"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The music-sharing platform SoundCloud quietly updated its terms of use in February last year, adding language that lets it train AI models on its users\u2019 content, as TechCrunch<\/em> reported<\/a>. And while the company says it hasn\u2019t used user-created content for model training, it doesn\u2019t rule out the possibility that it will in the future.<\/p>\n

Marni Greenberg, SVP and head of communications at SoundCloud, provided the following in a statement emailed to The Verge<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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SoundCloud has never used artist content to train AI models, nor do we develop AI tools or allow third parties to scrape or use SoundCloud content from our platform for AI training purposes. In fact, we implemented technical safeguards, including a \u201cno AI\u201d tag on our site to explicitly prohibit unauthorized use.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Greenberg went on to say that SoundCloud\u2019s terms of service update \u201cwas intended to clarify how content may interact with AI technologies within SoundCloud\u2019s own platform.\u201d She said the company uses AI for things like personalized recommendations and fraud detection, and suggests its plans for future uses of AI on its platform fall along similar lines. <\/p>\n

When we asked about letting users opt out of having their music used for generative AI development, here\u2019s what Greenberg had to say: <\/p>\n

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The TOS explicitly prohibits the use of licensed content, such as music from major labels, for training any AI models, including generative AI. For other types of content uploaded to SoundCloud, the TOS allows for the possibility of AI-related use.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Importantly, no such use has taken place to date, and SoundCloud will introduce robust internal permissioning controls to govern any potential future use. Should we ever consider using user content to train generative AI models, we would introduce clear opt-out mechanisms in advance\u2014at a minimum\u2014and remain committed to transparency with our creator community.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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SoundCloud seems to claim the right to train on people’s uploaded music in their terms. I think they have major questions to answer over this.<\/p>\n

I checked the wayback machine \u2013 it seems to have been added to their terms on 12th Feb 2024. I’m a SoundCloud user and I can’t see any\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/NIk7TP7K3C<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Ed Newton-Rex (@ednewtonrex) May 9, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Hopefully SoundCloud will go to greater lengths to tell users about those opt-out mechanisms than it appears to have done for last year\u2019s AI-related terms of use update. Tech ethicist Ed Newton-Rex, who spotted the changes<\/a> reported by TechCrunch<\/em>, posted that they \u201ccan\u2019t see any emails\u201d alerting them that the terms had been altered. I\u2019ve contributed to SoundCloud, too, and also didn\u2019t find any emails about the changes when I checked. SoundCloud\u2019s terms say<\/a> it will provide \u201cprominent notice\u201d about significant alterations to its terms, but doesn\u2019t guarantee you\u2019ll see that in an email.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s SoundCloud\u2019s original full statement, as provided to to The Verge<\/em> by Greenberg:<\/p>\n

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SoundCloud has always been and will remain artist-first. Our focus is on empowering artists with control, clarity, and meaningful opportunities to grow. We believe AI, when developed responsibly, can expand creative potential\u2014especially when guided by principles of consent, attribution, and fair compensation.<\/em><\/p>\n

SoundCloud has never used artist content to train AI models, nor do we develop AI tools or allow third parties to scrape or use SoundCloud content from our platform for AI training purposes. In fact, we implemented technical safeguards, including a \u201cno AI\u201d tag on our site to explicitly prohibit unauthorized use.<\/em><\/p>\n

The February 2024 update to our Terms of Service was intended to clarify how content may interact with AI technologies within SoundCloud\u2019s own platform. Use cases include personalized recommendations, content organization, fraud detection, and improvements to content identification with the help of AI Technologies.<\/em><\/p>\n

Any future application of AI at SoundCloud will be designed to support human artists, enhancing the tools, capabilities, reach and opportunities available to them on our platform. Examples include improving music recommendations, generating playlists, organizing content, and detecting fraudulent activity. These efforts are aligned with existing licensing agreements and ethical standards. Tools like Musiio are strictly used to power artist discovery and content organization, not to train generative AI models.<\/em><\/p>\n

We understand the concerns raised and remain committed to open dialogue. Artists will continue to have control over their work, and we\u2019ll keep our community informed every step of the way as we explore innovation and apply AI technologies responsibly, especially as legal and commercial frameworks continue to evolve.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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