AI Music Startup Udio Bags $10 Million Investment— will.i.am, Common, Google & Instagram Vets on Board

Photo Credit: Udio

Former Google DeepMind researchers have launched Udio, a new AI-powered music app that allows anyone to create music in an instant.Backed by a16z, with participation from angel investors like will.i.am, Kevin Wall, Common, and Mike Krieger (Co-Founder of Instagram), Udio enables everyone from clasically trained musicians to those with pop-star ambitions to create music in mere moments. The company launched its public app today, previously only available in closed beta.

Udio was developed by former Google DeepMind researchers with a mission of making it easy for anyone to create emotionally resonant music in an instant. Whether it is recording a cherished memory in song, generating funny soundtracks for memes, or creating full-length tracks for professional release.

“There is nothing available that comes close to the ease of use, voice quality, and musicality of what we’ve achieved with Udio—it’s a real testament to the folks we have involved,” says David Ding, Co-Founder & Ceo of Udio. “At every stage of development, we talked to people in the industry about how we could bring this amazing technology to market in a way that benefits both artists and musicians.”

“We gathered feedback from some of the most prolific artists and music producers like will.i.am, Common, and Kevin Wall, to ensure that everything they thought would enhance the experience would be available. We hold ourselves to the highest standards and we believe we have achieved something truly remarkable, so we can’t wait to get Udio into the hands of music lovers worldwide.”

In Just a few steps, users can type a description of the music genre they want to make, provide the subject or personalized lyrics, and indicate artists that inspire. In less than 40 seconds, Udio works its magic to create a fully mastered quality audio track. Users can further edit their creations through the app’s ‘vary’ feature. This enables iteration on existing tracks through text descriptors, turning everyday creators into full-blown producers.“Good music stirs up deep emotions in all of us, and connects us to each other through shared experiences. Nothing will ever replace human artists and the unique connections they make with their fans,” said Matt Bornstein, Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. “But we think Udio – with its incredible musicality, creativity, and vocals – is a brand new way for us to create and enjoy music together. We’re thrilled to back this stellar group of researchers in their mission to make AI music a reality.”

To ensure the industry was on board, Udio’s team spent time building its business model and making it beneficial to artists. This includes giving artists financial control over their voice likeness and ensuring generated tracks do not infringe on copyright. Through its unique model, Udio has amassed a patina list of investors in its seed round including a16z, and Mike Krieger.