By India McCarty
Universal Music Group, Sony Music and Warner Music Group have officially signed licensing deals with AI-focused music startup KLAY.
“We are very pleased to have concluded a commercial license with KLAY Vision, following up on our industry-first strategic collaboration framework agreement announced one year ago,” Michael Nash, EVP and Chief Digital Officer at UMG, said in a statement. “We’re excited about their transformational vision and applaud their commitment to ethicality in Generative AI music, which has been a key foundation of our partnership with them from the very start of their journey.”
Carletta Higginson, EVP and Chief Digital Officer at WMG, added, “Our goal is always to support and elevate the creativity of our artists and songwriters, while fiercely protecting their rights and works. From day one, KLAY has taken the right approach to the rapidly-evolving AI universe by creating a holistic platform that both expands artistic possibilities and preserves the value of music. We appreciate the KLAY team’s work in advancing this technology and guiding these important agreements.”
Related: Historic First or Eerie Warning? AI-Generated Country Song Tops Billboard Chart
Universal, Warner and Sony Strike Licensing Deals With AI Music Startup Klay https://t.co/mA9lu7VaEh
— Variety (@Variety) November 20, 2025
“Technology is shaped by the people behind it and the people who use it. At KLAY, from the beginning, we set out to earn the trust of the artists and songwriters whose work makes all of this possible,” Ary Attie, KLAY’s founder & CEO, said.
He continued, “We will continue to operate with those values, bringing together a growing community to reimagine how music can be shared, enjoyed, and valued. Our goal is simple: to help people experience more of the music they love, in ways that were never possible before — while helping create new value for artists and songwriters. Music is human at its core. Its future must be too.”
Details about KLAY and what it will offer consumers are scarce; currently, its website only features the slogan “Music Set Free” and a link to join the waitlist.
In an interview with MusicTech, Attie spoke further about KLAY’s mission, saying, “Research is critical to building the foundations for AI music, but the tech is only an empty vessel when it doesn’t engage with the culture it is meant to serve.”
“KLAY’s obsession is not just to showcase its research innovation but to make it invisible and mission-critical to people’s daily lives,” he continued. “Only then can music AI become more than a short-lived gimmick. Our great artists have always embraced the newest technologies — we believe the next Beatles will play with KLAY.”
UMG, WMG and Sony’s newly signed deals are a sign that even the music industry’s biggest players recognize that AI has the potential to be the next big thing in the entertainment industry.
Read Next: How the Music Industry Works to Combat AI-Generated Songs
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