Making a Taylor Swift song? YouTube's next AI tool could help you fake it

Not content with its waning position in the generative AI race, Alphabet-owned YouTube is reportedly developing an AI tool to help users sound and sing like their favorite musicians.

Per Bloomberg, consulting with people familiar with the matter, YouTube intends to purchase song rights from major labels to train the service. The audio-imitation tool was set to debut alongside other AI-powered introductions last month, but the licensing issue is reportedly delaying the offering’s arrival.

A voice-cloning feature seems a perfect feature for YouTube, especially as generative AI gains momentum. The unique feature could draw users back from TikTok and Instagram. Even if it doesn’t encourage a growth resurgence, the potential for viral content is enormous — look at the recent AI-generated “Drake” song as an example.

However, as highlighted by that particular song, there are clear legal pitfalls that YouTube and the music industry must still consider. Fair compensation for artists and labels, copyright disputes, and the misuse of such technology (think deepfakes) are some potential looming issues. YouTube would also need to ensure popular artists are open to the service to appeal to a wide range of users.

YouTube has yet to confirm such a tool exists, but we’ll likely hear more granular details in the near future.