TikTok owner ByteDance acquires Jukedeck and its AI-powered music composer

ByteDance, the app factory behind short video platform TikTok, has bought part of London-based Jukedeck’s assets, a source close to the matter told KrASIA. Jukedeck has built software that autonomously composes music.

The source added that several members of Jukedeck’s team have also joined ByteDance. UK-based music industry news outlet Music Ally reported that Ed Newton-Rex, the founder of Jukedeck, is now working for ByteDance’s AI Lab, citing his updated LinkedIn profile.

Beijing-based ByteDance declined to comment when contacted by KrASIA on Wednesday.

ByteDance bought popular lip-sync platform Musical.ly in a deal valued at up to USD 1 billion in late 2017 and moved its users to TikTok. This strategic investment gave TikTok access to copyrighted music, allowing the platform to quickly gain popularity in markets outside of the Chinese mainland.