What is AI music, and does Epidemic Sound use it?

What is AI music and AI sound?

Artificial intelligence (AI) has slotted into everyday life over the last few years, and music is no exception. When people mention AI music, broadly, they mean that it was created using generative AI models.

How does AI music work?

Like AI in other sectors and mediums, the backbone of AI music is built upon generative models. These models generate audio from a text prompt, which is provided by a user. You might be familiar with this process if you’ve used AI-generated images or videos before.

The models are trained from all kinds of audio, spanning across music, sound effects, and speech. They then learn how to create “new” audio, which is influenced by the material used in training.

Is AI music copyrighted?

AI music and copyright law is complicated, and the regulations may differ from country to country. In some territories, art created entirely by AI won’t be copyright-protected, as the work must be “created by a human being” to qualify.

Multiple ongoing lawsuits allege that the training of several of the more prominent models, as well as the output produced, infringes copyright.

Does Epidemic Sound use AI music?

No, Epidemic Sound doesn’t deal in AI-generated music. Rather, the catalog of more than 50,000 world-class tracks is created entirely by real artists. Written, recorded, and produced through blood, sweat, and tears, those tracks are the backbone of the product.

How does Epidemic Sound use AI in music?

In September 2025, Epidemic Sound launched Adapt: an AI-powered tool that helps creators edit our tracks to fit their content.

With Adapt, you can:

• Remove and rearrange sections of your chosen track
• Edit the track length to match your content
• Adjust the mood and instrumentation to explore different vibes
• Publish adapted tracks in your content

Adapt is trained exclusively on the Epidemic Sound catalog and music we’ve licensed.

Because Epidemic Sound owns all of the rights to the 50,000+ tracks across the catalog, adapted music is legally safe for subscribers to use. This makes it easier for brands and creators to license and use AI-adapted music in their content.

Does Epidemic Sound pay artists for AI music tools and features?

Epidemic Sound has always developed new remuneration models alongside emerging technology. This is no different with AI — human creativity is still recognized and rewarded appropriately.

Currently, artists are paid from a yearly $1 million Adaptive Soundtrack Bonus pool, based on how often their adapted tracks are downloaded. This is on top of the yearly Soundtrack Bonus, which pays artists based on their tracks’ popularity in the Epidemic Sound player. The Soundtrack Bonus stands at $3.5 million in 2025, and will rise to $4.2 million in 2026.

Epidemic Sound’s remuneration goes beyond music. Voices, our AI voiceover tool, offers professional voice artists both upfront payments and ongoing usage bonuses. Learn more about how we work with voice artists here.

How will AI affect the music industry?

Will AI replace musicians? Producers? Songwriters, mixing engineers, session players? We’d like to think not. Synthesizers didn’t wipe out guitars, nor did autotune overhaul raw vocals. There’s a place for AI to fit within the music industry — to enhance human creativity, not replace it.

AI music’s technical and creative boundaries will keep moving, and the choice to apply it responsibly falls on everyone.

What is Epidemic Sound’s stance on AI music?

Epidemic Sound will always invest in music from real artists, working directly with them as a primary focus. This is reflected by our diverse, award-winning roster, and the remuneration model through which artists are rewarded.

AI is part of Epidemic Sound’s mission to create the world’s best soundtracking platform. For that reason, further AI-powered music discovery features and adaptive tools will be developed to solve real problems for content creators.

If you’d like to learn more about Epidemic Sound’s commitment to artists and content creators regarding AI, click here.

Why should I pay for Epidemic Sound when I can just get AI music for free?

Free AI music and sound effects look promising at first glance, but they might not be right for you. Here’s what sets Epidemic Sound apart:

Quality: Epidemic Sound’s catalog includes multi-Platinum artists like Jordin Sparks, Grammy-nominated conductors such as Eric Jacobsen, rising stars like Kylie Dailey, and everything in between. We commission tracks and work with artists every step of the way, from initial demos to final mixes — it’s as human as you can get. If you want to adapt the music with AI, you can. And if you don’t? No problem.

Ethical: Epidemic Sound’s AI is trained on our catalog and music we’ve licensed. Developed alongside artists and creators, it’s AI done right.

Relevance: The catalog caters to users’ needs by harnessing creator feedback, data from billions of daily YouTube and TikTok views, and knowledge from in-house experts.

Integration: Epidemic Sound fits seamlessly into your workflow with dedicated Adobe and DaVinci Resolve Studio plugins. There’s also a mobile app, if you prefer to work on the move.

Speed: One of generative AI music’s selling points is that it’s fast. So is Epidemic Sound. Find new tracks, break them down into stems, and adapt them with AI in a matter of seconds.

Discovery: Epidemic Sound’s next-generation, AI-powered discovery tools are informed by more than 3 billion daily plays across YouTube and TikTok. We know which sound will resonate with your audience, and we’re always working to make the soundtracking process as effective as possible.

Curation: Our Music Curation team helps Enterprise customers take their content to the next level. We offer bespoke workshops, strategic supervision and development, trend-spotting, one-on-one customer service, and more. Need a cohesive sound strategy, or perhaps some guidance defining your sonic brand? The Music Curation team will craft a musical ID that’s rooted in your brand’s purpose — a real human touch.

Legal safety: Epidemic Sound’s music is original and created by humans. On top of that, our direct licensing model empowers you to publish soundtracked content safely, without licensing complexity. Whether you use original tracks or adapt them with AI, Epidemic Sound’s got you covered — this may not be the case with other music providers. Epidemic Sound’s rights model and in-house digital rights management team keep you safe from copyright claims. Meanwhile, it’s not clear how claims can be avoided or resolved for AI-generated music from other parties.