SoundCloud近日澄清并承诺，从未且未来也不会在未经艺术家明确许可的情况下，使用其内容训练AI模型。此前，由于SoundCloud更新的服务条款措辞过于宽泛，引发了艺术家对其音乐可能被用于训练生成式AI工具的担忧。SoundCloud CEO承认条款不够清晰，造成了混乱，并表示将在未来几周内修改相关条款，明确表示未经艺术家明确同意，不会使用其内容训练旨在复制或合成其声音、音乐或形象的AI模型。尽管如此，一些评论员认为修改后的条款仍然存在漏洞，可能允许SoundCloud使用艺术家作品训练不直接复制其风格但与其竞争的AI模型。

📢 SoundCloud明确声明，过去未曾使用，将来也不会未经艺术家明确同意，利用其内容训练任何AI模型，包括用于音乐创作或模仿/替代艺术家作品的大型语言模型。

📜 引起争议的条款源于去年2月SoundCloud的服务条款更新，其中提到用户协议允许平台使用其内容来训练AI或机器学习技术，但这一条款因措辞宽泛引发艺术家担忧。

✅ SoundCloud承诺将在未来几周内更新服务条款，明确表示未经艺术家通过选择加入机制明确同意，不会使用其内容训练旨在复制或合成其声音、音乐或形象的生成式AI模型。

🤔 尽管SoundCloud做出了上述承诺，但有评论指出修改后的条款仍可能存在漏洞，允许平台使用艺术家作品训练不直接复制其风格，但仍与其竞争的AI模型。

Music-sharing platform SoundCloud is saying it “has never used artist content to train AI models,” and that it’s “making a formal commitment that any use of AI on SoundCloud will be based on consent, transparency, and artist control.” The update comes several days after artists reported that changes made last year to its terms of use could mean it reserved the right to use their music and other content to train generative AI tools.

“The language in the Terms of Use was too broad and wasn’t clear enough. It created confusion, and that’s on us,” writes SoundCloud CEO Eliah Seton.

The terms that SoundCloud is currently using were updated in February last year with text including this passage:

In the absence of a separate agreement that states otherwise, You 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.”

But Seton says that “in the coming weeks,” that line will be replaced with this:

We will not use Your Content to train generative AI models that aim to replicate or synthesize your voice, music, or likeness without your explicit consent, which must be affirmatively provided through an opt-in mechanism.

Seton reiterates that SoundCloud has never used member content to train AI, including large language models, for music creation or to mimic or replace members’ work. And, echoing what a SoundCloud spokesperson told The Verge in an email over the weekend, Seton says if the company does use generative AI, it “may make this opportunity available to our human artists with their explicit consent, via an opt-in mechanism.”

Ed Newton-Rex, the tech ethicist who first discovered the change, isn’t satisfied with the changes. In an X post, he says the tweaked language could still allow for “models trained on your work that might not directly replicate your style but that still compete with you in the market.” According to Rex, “If they actually want to address concerns, the change required is simple. It should just read “We will not use Your Content to train generative AI models without your explicit consent.” 

SoundCloud did not immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.