Stability AI’s Julian Parker, a key researcher behind Steady Audio, joins Spotify’s ‘artist-first AI’ staff – days after streamer’s landmark UMG remix deal

Julian Parker, one of many senior researchers behind Stability AI‘s Steady Audio household of generative AI music fashions, has joined Spotify to work on the streaming firm’s ‘artist-first AI’ initiative.

London-based Parker confirmed the transfer on LinkedIn on Friday (Might 22), saying he had “just lately joined” Spotify.

His announcement arrived lower than 24 hours after Spotify and Common Music Group unveiled landmark licensing agreements to let followers create AI-powered covers and remixes of songs from taking part artists and songwriters – bought as a paid add-on to Spotify Premium.

Parker’s rent at Spotify was additionally confirmed two days after Stability AI launched Steady Audio 3.0 final Wednesday (Might 20) – a household of 4 music era fashions educated on absolutely licensed knowledge, with output lengths of as much as 6 minutes and 20 seconds.

Parker mentioned he had timed his announcement across the public launch of Stability AI‘s newest audio merchandise.

“Now that Steady Audio 3 and SAME are launched, I can announce that I just lately joined Spotify to help their artist-first AI initiative, alongside Sebastian Ewert, Peter Sobot, Rachel Bittner and plenty of many different implausible researchers and engineers,” Parker wrote. “I’m tremendous excited to work with such an exceptional staff.”

The three individuals Parker named are present Spotify analysis employees:

• Sebastian Ewert is Director of Analysis at Spotify, with public accountability for main the analysis effort behind the platform’s artist-first AI work;
• Peter Sobot is a Workers Machine Studying Engineer in Spotify‘s Audio Intelligence Lab;
• Rachel Bittner is a Senior Analysis Scientist on the firm.

Reflecting on his exit from Stability AI, Parker added: “It’s been a beautiful 2 and a bit years at Stability AI, and I’m tremendous pleased with the fashions we’ve launched collectively – Steady Audio 2.0, Steady Audio Open, Steady Codec/TAAE, Steady Audio Open Small, Steady Audio 2.5 and eventually SAME and Steady Audio 3.

“I’ll nonetheless be rooting for the staff in fact, and I’ve zero doubt that they’re going to proceed doing even better issues.”

Earlier than becoming a member of Steady Audio in 2024, Parker was a machine studying Analysis Scientist at TikTok.

Spotify unveiled its ‘artist-first AI’ initiative in October 2025, as a part of a partnership with the world’s three main music firms – Common Music Group, Sony Music Group, and Warner Music Group – plus Merlin and Imagine.

On the time, Spotify mentioned its “gen AI analysis lab and product staff” can be centered on growing applied sciences that “create breakthrough experiences for followers and artists”.

That push took its largest industrial step but on Thursday (Might 21), when Spotify and UMG introduced licensing agreements for an AI-powered fan covers and remixes instrument, set to launch as a paid Premium add-on.

“Fixing onerous issues for music is what Spotify does, and fan-made covers and remixes are subsequent,” mentioned Alex Norström, Co-CEO of Spotify, on Thursday.

“What we’re constructing is grounded in consent, credit score, and compensation for the artists and songwriters that participate.”

Stability AI itself has separate partnerships with two of the three main music firms. UMG entered right into a strategic alliance with Stability AI in October 2025 to develop “next-generation skilled music creation instruments”.

Warner Music Group adopted in November 2025 with its personal deal with the AI firm, to develop “accountable, artist-friendly AI instruments”.

Parker thanked his now-former Stability AI colleagues – together with Zach Evans, Jordi Pons, CJ Carr, Zack Zukowski, Josiah Taylor, and Matthew Rice – for making his time on the firm “so enjoyable and simply typically superb”.

Spotify ended Q1 2026 with 761 million month-to-month energetic customers, together with 293 million paying subscribers throughout 184 markets.Music Enterprise Worldwide