Sony Music Leads $16M Investment in AI Licensing Platform Vermillio to Explore Commercial Opportunities
Sony Music Entertainment (SME) has led a $16 million Series A funding round for Vermillio, an AI licensing and monetization platform specializing in authenticated AI solutions.
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Vermillio's flagship product, TraceID, helps rightsholders identify, license, and monitor generative AI content that uses their protected works. The platform has already demonstrated success through partnerships with major entertainment companies:
- Collaborated with Sony Music on David Gilmour's AI-powered Metallic Spheres In Colour project
- Tracked 1.5 million fan creations for a Sony Pictures Spider-Man AI-animation campaign
- Partnered with Pocket.watch for a Ryan's World merchandising initiative
DNS Capital, a Chicago-based family office, also participated in the funding round. The investment will support Vermillio's mission to protect talent, record labels, and studios in the rapidly evolving AI sector.
Dennis Kooker, SME president of global digital business, emphasized the company's commitment to:
- Protecting intellectual property
- Creating new commercial opportunities
- Ensuring proper consent and attribution
- Establishing appropriate compensation for creators
- Developing mutually beneficial AI solutions
This investment follows other significant AI developments in the music industry, including Universal Music Group's partnership with ProRata.ai, which recently secured a $25 million Series A and is launching its AI search engine, Gist, in 2025.
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