Dear Artist Community,

Recently, debates surrounding SoundCloud’s updated 2024 Terms of Use have surfaced, particularly concerning how these terms interact with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies on our platform. We aim to provide clarity and transparency to our artist community regarding these updates.

Understanding Our Position on AI

First and foremost, SoundCloud has never harnessed artist content to train AI models. This includes music production, large language models, or any other initiatives aimed at replicating your creative work. Importantly, we do not develop generative AI tools, nor do we permit third parties to scrape or utilize content from SoundCloud for this purpose.

To reinforce this commitment, we have implemented measures such as a “no AI” tag, clearly marking content that cannot be utilized for AI training. Protecting artists’ rights is fundamental to our identity and mission.

The Story Behind Our Updated Terms

Back in February 2024, we updated our Terms of Use to clarify the internal applications of AI to enhance the experience for both artists and fans. This includes:

• Optimizing recommendations
• Enhancing search capabilities
• Improving playlist creation
• Refining content tagging and fraud prevention tools

Our focus remains on utilizing AI to help fans discover new music and assist artists in growing their audience, starting with their first fans. This mission has been bolstered following our acquisition of Musiio, which enabled us to enhance music discovery and help rightsholders spot emerging talent more effectively.

Our Commitment to Revision and Transparency

We recognize that the language in the updated Terms of Use was inadequately specific and caused confusion among artists. This oversight is on us, and we are committed to correcting it.

We are in the process of revising the Terms of Use to explicitly state that SoundCloud will not use your content for training generative AI models that seek to replicate your music, voice, or likeness. We are also committed to involving our artists should any future generative AI opportunities arise, emphasizing explicit consent and transparent communication.

Our Guiding Principles

Our stance is straightforward: AI technology should complement and elevate artists rather than replace them. Any future applications on SoundCloud will uphold this principle. Updates to our Terms of Use will be accessible online, ensuring that our community remains informed.

With AI’s evolving landscape in the music industry, we acknowledge both its opportunities and challenges. Thus, our approach will consistently prioritize the artist’s needs and rights at the forefront.

Final Thoughts

We promise to maintain a transparent dialogue, actively listening to your concerns, and ensuring that your voice is heard as we navigate these changes together. Thank you for being an integral part of the SoundCloud community and for holding us accountable.

Sincerely,
Eliah Seton
CEO, SoundCloud