YouTube Rolls Out Free AI Tool to Help Creators Generate Custom Background Music

YouTube is expanding its Creator Music platform with an AI-powered feature that allows users to generate custom instrumental music for their videos. The tool, Music Assistant, is gradually rolling out to creators across the U.S. who are part of the YouTube Partner Program, according to TechCrunch.

After a beta phase in late-2024, Music Assistant is now officially launching to allow creators to generate background music without worrying about copyright claims, offering a cost-effective alternative to licensed music.

Users can enter text prompts describing the exact kind of music they want, specifying the mood, instruments, video type and other criteria, before the AI generates a copyright-free track available for download. Suggested prompts are also provided to help guide the creative process.

Music Assistant builds on YouTube's earlier "Dream Track" experiment, which used DeepMind’s Lyria model to create 30-second AI-generated tracks in the style of specific artists. Unlike Dream Track, which was limited to Shorts and short-form content, Music Assistant is being integrated into the broader Creator Music marketplace for long-form content.

YouTube says the goal is to give creators more flexibility and control over their soundtracks while simplifying the music licensing process. For more information, check out the video below published on YouTube’s Creator Insider channel.