Universal Music Group (UMG), Sony Music Entertainment (SME), and Warner Music Group (WMG), along with their publishing divisions. The deals, announced on 20 November 2025, mark a significant step in legitimizing AI-driven music platforms by ensuring that artists, songwriters, and rightsholders are formally recognized.

KLAY Vision is developing an interactive music platform powered by its Large Music Model, which it claims is trained entirely on licensed music. The company has spent over a year collaborating with industry stakeholders to build a licensing framework and now aims to expand participation to independent labels, artists, and publishers.

The leadership team includes founder and CEO Ary Attie, former Sony Music executive Thomas Hesse, ex-Google DeepMind music lead Björn Winckler, and former Spotify scientist Brian Whitman. Their collective expertise positions KLAY as a serious player in the evolving AI music landscape.

Executives from the majors praised the agreements:

• Carletta Higginson (WMG EVP & Chief Digital Officer) emphasized that KLAY’s approach “expands artistic possibilities while preserving the value of music.”


• Michael Nash (UMG EVP & Chief Digital Officer) highlighted the company’s “commitment to ethicality in generative AI music.”


• Dennis Kooker (SME President of Global Digital Business) stressed the importance of proper licensing to protect rights-holders.

Attie himself underscored KLAY’s philosophy: “Music is human at its core. Its future must be too.”

Concerns About Creativity and Authenticity

While these deals are being hailed as a milestone, critics warn that AI music could hinder creativity rather than enhance it. Several recent studies and industry voices raise concerns:

• A Deezer survey found that 97% of listeners cannot distinguish AI-generated music from human-made tracks, with over half expressing discomfort about the loss of authenticity.


• Analysts caution that AI’s ability to mimic iconic songs risks erasing the imperfections and emotional nuances that define human artistry.


• Musicians interviewed in a 2025 study described “complex tensions” between AI’s efficiency and the fear of being replaced, noting that generative AI often prioritizes replication over originality.


• High-profile protests, including Paul McCartney’s silent track release, highlight growing resistance to AI’s encroachment on creative spaces, with artists demanding stronger protections against exploitation.

The broader industry debate underscores a paradox: while AI platforms like KLAY Vision promise new interactive experiences, they also risk flooding the market with homogenized, machine-made music that could marginalize human creators.

KLAY Vision’s licensing deals represent a historic alignment between AI and the traditional music industry, potentially reshaping how fans experience music. Yet, as AI-generated tracks become indistinguishable from human compositions, questions about originality, authenticity, and the soul of music remain unresolved. The challenge ahead will be balancing technological innovation with the preservation of human creativity — ensuring that AI serves as a tool for artists, not a replacement.