YouTube has begun officially testing AI-created instrumental tracks along with a new feature for matching soundtracks in Shorts.
The Creator Insider, described as an "informal YouTube channel" run by the platform’s "technical creator team," unveiled these new features in a short video.
In terms of instrumental content, the "slowly" growing AI-generated music support seems quite simple. According to program manager Lauren Fendel, specific channels can now utilize text prompts to create entirely licensed compositions.
"These are available for your use, so you shouldn't concern yourself with copyright issues," Fendel explained regarding the outputs.
Even though Google’s MusicFX can be accessed outside of the platform, the instrumental generator handles these requests (offering downloadable audio files) through a "Music Assistant" section within YouTube Studio, as demonstrated in the video.
When we shift focus to release specifics, the AI-generated music tracks are now available for certain channels with access to YouTube Studio’s long-standing Creator Music library. This service, providing both upfront and revenue-sharing licensing options for copyrighted content, remains accessible exclusively to participants of the Partner Program within the United States.
(A few creators are taking to Reddit to inquire about Creator Music’s international-release timetable. But the appropriate support page only notes that “[e]xpansion to YPP creators outside of the U.S. is pending.”)
Regarding the Shorts soundtrack matching feature, which lives up to its name, it helps "simplify the editing process for creators who want to synchronize their clips with the rhythm," according to the video description.
When you pick several pictures and video snippets from your device's album," explained Fendel, who has more than 14 years of experience at Google/YouTube, "you can now opt for an automatic creation of a short film set to music. Simply select the content, choose a track, and it will synchronize your clips with the rhythm.
Concerning availability, the soundtrack-matcher’s present scope and upcoming expansion plans seem flexible. As stated by the YouTube employee, "During the trial stage, this feature will only be accessible to a limited group of creators; however, we'll inform you promptly should we decide to broaden its accessibility."
From a broader perspective, music-feature tests are not novel for Shorts, as they introduced Dream Track back in November 2023. Initially, this "set of experimental tools" highlighted several AI-generated vocal sounds, such as those from artists like T-Pain and Sia.
Following this shift, Dream Track seems to have transitioned towards producing instrumental soundtracks, according to a video from October 2024. This version of Dream Track appears less focused on comprehensive music generation and instead aims to operate within the Shorts app’s camera feature rather than through YouTube itself.
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