Spotify Turns AI Fan Covers Into Artist Paychecks

Spotify and Universal Music Group have built a rights framework for something that has been happening without one: fans using artificial intelligence AI to cover and remix songs. The deal, announced Thursday (May 21) at Spotify’s 2026 Investor Day, covers licensing agreements for recorded music and publishing rights, giving Spotify the legal foundation to launch a generative AI remix tool for participating UMG artists and songwriters. It will be a paid add-on for Spotify Premium subscribers.