In an era where artificial intelligence is reshaping the creative landscape, musicians and content creators are growing increasingly wary of how their work is being used. SoundCloud, a major player in independent music distribution, is now facing scrutiny over an update to its Terms of Use that many argue opens the door for uploaded content to be used in training AI systems.
A Subtle Yet Significant Change
Earlier this year, a discreetly inserted language to SoundCloud’s terms of service piqued the interest of tech journalists and producers alike. Futurism and TechCrunch first reported on the modified language, which was established in February 2024.
“In the absence of a separate agreement that states otherwise, You [the user] explicitly agree that your Content may be used to inform, train, develop or serve as input to artificial intelligence or machine intelligence technologies or services as part of and for providing the services.”
This sentence aroused instant anxiety in the artist community, as it implies that any uploaded music can be lawfully utilized to train AI models—unless otherwise agreed upon.
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SoundCloud Responds
In response to the rising outcry, SoundCloud released a statement outlining its current position. Speaking with The Verge, Marni Greenberg, SVP and Head of Communications at SoundCloud, stated:
“SoundCloud has never used artist content to train AI models, nor do we develop AI tools or allow third parties to scrape or use SoundCloud content from our platform for AI training purposes.”
The corporation emphasized that its AI activities have concentrated on “personalized recommendations, content organization, fraud detection, and improvements to content identification” rather than generative AI training.
SoundCloud also claims to have incorporated technological safeguards such as a “no AI” tag to prevent unauthorized scraping or exploitation of content.
Future Uncertainties & Opt-Out Options
While SoundCloud has sought to reassure consumers that their material is not now being used to train AI, it has not explicitly ruled out similar activities in the future. This uncertainty has raised red flags among performers, particularly those without major label commitments.
According to Greenberg, music from large labels will be removed from AI training operations, and SoundCloud promises to provide indie artists with opt-out choices. However, because many artists are ignorant of these developments, it is on users to monitor and respond to policy changes.
A Broader Industry Trend
SoundCloud’s move mirrors a broader trend in the technology and music sectors. As AI capabilities advance, so are the legal and ethical ambiguities around how data—including copyrighted material—is collected and used. Multiple AI businesses have previously been sued for unauthorized use of copyrighted works in their training data, and this is unlikely to be the last such instance.
What Should Artists Do?
If you’re an artist concerned about your music being used to train AI models, here are a few actions you can take:
- Review the updated terms of service carefully.
- Look for opt-out settings or request explicit clarification from SoundCloud support.
- Use “no AI” metadata tags if applicable.
- Consider alternative platforms that provide more transparent data usage policies.
- Stay informed on broader developments around AI and intellectual property rights.
SoundCloud’s AI provision may be part of a larger effort to future-proof the platform, but it raises fundamental concerns for independent musicians regarding permission, ownership, and pay. Until there is better clarity or governmental involvement, it is up to users to study the tiny print and determine if SoundCloud is still the ideal home for their creative production.
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