AI Gets a Key to Spotify’s Songwriting Fortress: Lionel Laurent

What kind of music will Spotify’s suggestion algorithms serve its millions of subscribers on a rainy Sunday afternoon: A Lana del Rey ballad, or machine-generated ambient noise? Well, eventually, maybe a combination of the two.

In a new twist in the music streaming wars that’s seen record labels fight the encroachment of artificial intelligence on pop stars’ turf, Universal Music Group NV on Tuesday announced it would partner with Berlin-based artificial-intelligence startup Endel to craft soundscapes designed as background listening for activities such as sleep, relaxation or increased focus. The software will be allowed to use Universal’s catalog of existing albums and artists to produce these ...