SoundCloud, one of the leading music-sharing platforms, has cleared the air: it isn’t using your music to train AI models. The company recently updated its terms of service to say that while there might be potential for AI training in the future, no such steps have been taken yet—and you’ll have an opt‑out option if that ever changes.
Marni Greenberg, SoundCloud’s Senior Vice President and head of communications, was clear and reassuring. In her own words, “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.” By setting up robust technical barriers, SoundCloud aims to protect the unique sound and creativity of its community.
The updated terms—and the accompanying tweaks in how AI interacts with content—are designed to ensure that the platform’s cutting‑edge features, such as personalised recommendations and fraud detection, remain secure and user‑friendly. For content like music from major labels, training generative AI models is expressly off‑limits. For other user uploads, however, there’s a path laid out for potential future use, always under strict internal controls and with a clear opt‑out mechanism in place.
Some users have voiced concerns about not being explicitly notified of these changes. Tech ethicist Ed Newton‑Rex pointed out that he hasn’t seen any emails about the update. SoundCloud has promised more direct communication in the future—emphasising that any major policy change will be clearly flagged for its creator community.
If you’ve ever worried about your creative content being used without your say, this move by SoundCloud might offer you a bit of reassurance. It’s a step towards greater transparency and control, letting you know that your music is safe from being scooped up for AI training—at least for now.
