Spotify, Defender Of Music?

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In an unprecedented move, Spotify is partnering with the three major record companies (Sony, Universal, and Warner), along with indie licensing powerhouse Merlin, and global digital distributor Believe to develop AI products that put artists and rights holders first.

The Big Play: With AI, the cat’s already out of the bag… but Spotify and the broader music industry are trying to control the narrative before mainstream AI firms make unrestricted song generation commonplace. No one wants a repeat of the piracy boom that nearly cratered the music market in the early 2000s.

Behind The Music: Spotify, the undisputed leader in music streaming, now wants to expand its reign to include the “responsible” use of AI in music.

Sound Check: Spotify and its partners took a clear shot at Silicon Valley in their announcement: “Some voices in the tech industry believe copyright should be abolished. We don’t. Musicians’ rights matter. Copyright is essential.”  

The statement underscores the industry’s stance — not anti-AI, but pro-regulation. That’s why Spotify and YouTube get partnerships, while Suno and Udio get served. For Spotify, it’s also a way to keep its already massive library from being flooded with AI slop — the company has already removed 75 million “spammy” tracks and introduced new upload guidelines.

Next Up: If executed right, a suite of industry-backed AI tools could be a major boon to artists’ bottom lines — and maybe even give Spotify its long-awaited social-network moment.

Enter The Cortège — an open-air theatrical odyssey transforming the Los Angeles Equestrian Center into a realm between myth and memory. Expect surreal choreography, dreamlike costumes, towering puppetry, and drone apparitions all moving in sync to an original score featuring TOKiMONSTA, Boreta, Air, and more.

This Friday, Jimetta Rose and her Voices of Creation choir bring a 13-piece ensemble to Beyond, transmuting collective grief into a shared song of transcendence. Then, acclaimed composer Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith closes the experience with a meditative live set exploring love through sound.

Shows have been extended through October 19th — use code FUTUREPRTY for 20% off and step inside the dream.

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Startup Rent A Cyber Friend wants you to pay to chat with random people instead of random chatbots.

Why It Hits: A new Resume.org survey found that most Gen Zers use chatbots for personal reasons like therapy — and 40% talk with AI for at least an hour a day. That marks a major surge in engagement as more people turn to AI to combat the loneliness epidemic. Rent A Cyber Friend sees this as an opportunity to reintroduce a little humanity into the mix.

Between The Chats: Founded by Francesco Vitali and Chris Siametis, Rent A Cyber Friend is “a video chat platform where people can pay per minute for a casual conversation with a ‘cyber friend,’” per TechCrunch.

The Future: Rent A Cyber Friend is set to make its big Silicon Valley debut at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025. The founders hope to attract investors who can help streamline operations and strengthen moderation protocols — Vitali and Siametis are determined to avoid a repeat of Chatroulette circa 2010.

Next Conversation: Rent A Cyber Friend could, amazingly, give rise to “conversationfluencers” — champions of chit-chat who are just a charming hang. What a time to be alive.

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60.3% of you voted No in yesterday’s poll: Would you personally invest in any AI-focused companies right now?

“a) They stay private to skirt regulations; b) they push the boundaries of fundamental accounting practices; c) as proof of b, they’re playing a financial game of musical chairs with circular financing that only increases the likelihood of a bubble bursting. The whole economy is AI right now, and it’s not healthy — it’s as big a grift as crypto.”

“Literally destroying the planet lol.”

“I’ve made a sh*tload of money on AI in the stock market. It’s the new tech of the future — embrace it, learn it, and just hope it doesn’t go Terminator. There’s some good stuff out there.”

“A way to make more money, increase creativity, and expand the variety of creative expression.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join our Poll Of The Day newsletter, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

🤝 Apple TV and Peacock are unexpectedly bundling, giving each streamer a bit of access to each other’s content.

📺 CNN is trying to get back in the solo-streaming game with a new $6.99/month service that launches October 28th.

📰 The Los Angeles Times is reportedly considering going public on the New York Stock Exchange sometime in 2027.

🏦 Erebor Bank — the brainchild of Anduril founder Palmer Luckey, aiming to replace Silicon Valley Bank — has received a conditional bank charter.

👀 iHeartMedia found that while 70% of Americans are using AI, 75% don’t want it involved in their media or entertainment diet.

🤖 The data center race continues: Meta has struck a deal with Arm to power its AI ambitions.

👔 Following the death of its eponymous founder, Armani has appointed deputy managing director Giuseppe Marsocci as its new CEO.

🛍️ Star-focused livestream-shopping platform TalkShopLive is finally integrating with YouTube channels.

🪙 MrBeast trademarked a financial services platform that will offer features like banking, cash advances, and financial planning.