Universal Music Group (UMG) and TikTok reach a new licensing agreement that is designed to secure artist royalties and include protections related to artificial-intelligence-generated music, according to reports from The Hollywood Reporter and CNET. The deal follows prior friction between the companies, including a dispute in 2024 over royalties that TikTok pays to rights holders. In addition to financial terms, the agreement focuses on addressing unauthorized AI-generated music on the platform. The reporting indicates that part of the update involves efforts to remove music created without proper authorization. CNET also notes that UMG has a separate arrangement with Spotify that covers the use of AI-generated parodies and remixes, highlighting that UMG’s approach to AI-related content varies across platforms. Taken together, the sources describe a shift toward clearer licensing terms and stronger guardrails for AI content on TikTok while maintaining royalty structures for artists.