UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP ENTERS INTO A STRATEGIC COLLABORATION WITH ETHICAL AI MUSIC COMPANY, KLAY

KLAY’S FOUNDATIONAL AI MODEL TO POWER A NEW GENERATION OF CREATIVE MUSIC EXPERIENCES AND DRIVE NEW AVENUES OF MONETIZATION FOR ARTISTS

Los Angeles, CA (October 28, 2024) – Los Angeles-based AI music company KLAY Vision Inc. announced today that it is collaborating with Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, on a pioneering commercial ethical foundational model for AI generated music that works in collaboration with the music industry and its creators. KLAY aims to be the backbone for a new era of innovation, powering new products and experiences, committed to the premise that AI can bolster and grow musical creativity and human artistry.

At the core of UMG and KLAY’s shared vision is the conviction that state-of-the-art foundational AI models are best built and scaled responsibly through constructive dialogue and consensus with those responsible for the artistry that shapes global culture. Building generative AI music models ethically and fully respectful of copyright, as well as name and likeness rights, will dramatically lessen the threat to human creators and stand the greatest opportunity to be transformational, creating significant new avenues for creativity and future monetization of copyrights.

Led by accomplished executives from the fields of music and technology, including Ary Attie (music producer and tech visionary), Thomas Hesse (former President of Sony Music Entertainment), and Björn Winckler (joining soon from Google Deepmind), KLAY is committed to serving artists and songwriters and those who support them, including music publishers and labels, distributors, and other rights holders across the Major and Indie label landscape. KLAY is developing a global ecosystem to host AI-driven experiences and content, including accurate attribution, and will not compete with artists’ catalogs in traditional music services.

Michael Nash, Executive Vice President, and Chief Digital Officer of Universal Music said, “We are excited to partner with entrepreneurs like the team leading KLAY, to explore new opportunities and ethical solutions for artists and the wider music ecosystem, advancing generative AI technology in ways that are both respectful of copyright and have the potential to profoundly impact human creativity. UMG has always endeavored to lead the music industry in driving innovation, embracing new technologies and supporting entrepreneurship while protecting human artistry.”

Ary Attie, founder and CEO of KLAY added, “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. 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.”

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About KLAY

KLAY is developing a new Large Music Model (KLayMM) that will significantly advance state-of-the-art Music AI. The company is currently in stealth but plans to launch in the coming months with a product that will revolutionize the way people think about music, presenting a new, intuitive music experience.

KLAY is led by Ary Attie, founder and CEO, music producer, and tech visionary; Thomas Hesse, Chief Content Officer, and former President of Sony Music Entertainment who played a key role in previous music platform shifts like pay-per-song (iTunes Music Store), music video distribution (VEVO), and on-demand music streaming; Matt Avent, Head of Engineering, former Tech Lead of the Speech, Audio, and Music Intelligence (SAMI) initiative at Bytedance; and is supported by a stellar team of technologists and researchers. KLAY is rapidly expanding with additional world-class talent. Björn Winckler has signed on and will soon join KLAY as Head of Research from Google Deepmind, where he led the development of Lyria and other state-of-the-art AI models. KLAY is committed to continue bringing the best minds in research, copyright, and product together to invent this exciting new future.

About Universal Music Group

At Universal Music Group, we exist to shape culture through the power of artistry. UMG is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising, and audiovisual content. Featuring the most comprehensive catalogue of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation, and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms, and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. For more information visit: www.universalmusic.com

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