OpenAI Developing Advanced AI Music Generator: Features, Competition, and Industry Concerns

No official launch timeline has been announced yet.

OpenAI is developing an innovative generative music tool designed to create musical compositions from text and audio inputs. According to The Information, this technology will enable users to incorporate unique soundtracks or instrumental backgrounds into their videos. Currently, there's no confirmation regarding its release date or whether it will function as a standalone application or be integrated within existing platforms such as ChatGPT or the video generation system Sora.

The anticipated features include multi-vocal track generation capabilities and AI-powered mixing functionality, which would particularly benefit independent musicians and content creators.

According to reports, the development involves collaboration with Juilliard School students who are assisting in annotating musical scores to provide high-quality training data for the AI system. This partnership aims to explore how artificial intelligence can comprehend and reproduce musical patterns and emotional expressions.

This new development builds upon OpenAI's previous musical projects, MuseNet and Jukebox, offering improved user control over stylistic elements, tonal qualities, and energy levels. OpenAI launched Jukebox in 2020, allowing users to generate AI music across various genres including reggae and blues, though this tool is no longer being maintained.

The emergence of OpenAI in the music generation field is expected to heighten competition with established tech companies like Google and specialized startups such as Suno, which already provide generative music solutions. This development has prompted important discussions around copyright protection, ethical considerations, and creative ownership rights.

Multiple voices within the music industry have expressed concerns about AI companies not providing adequate compensation to artists, with Paul McCartney among those advocating for stronger legislative protection for human musicians. Meanwhile, fraudsters have exploited AI music technology to illegitimately generate streaming revenue on platforms like Spotify.

Throughout the past year, Spotify has experienced a significant increase in AI-generated content. Some virtual musical groups, such as The Velvet Sundown, have successfully convinced listeners they are authentic human artists, accumulating millions of views on platforms like YouTube. Earlier this year, a controversial AI-generated parody track created using Udio even reached the third position on Spotify's viral charts.