Universal Music Group names first SVP of Applied AI and Machine Learning

By Splitfeed EditorialLast updated Sep 29, 2026, 00:50 UTC

On September 28, 2026, Universal Music Group announced the appointment of Òscar Celma as its Senior Vice President of Applied AI and Machine Learning. Billboard confirmed the role is the first of its kind at the company, meaning UMG had not previously placed a named executive at the senior vice president level over its applied AI and machine learning operations. The announcement went out simultaneously through PR Newswire and UMG's own channels before being picked up by music and business press the same day.

The move is significant because UMG is one of the largest recorded music companies in the world, and the creation of a dedicated senior executive role signals that AI and machine learning are no longer peripheral concerns to be distributed across departments but are now centralized under accountable leadership. The music industry sits at one of the sharper edges of the AI debate, given ongoing disputes over training data, artist rights, and the use of AI in music creation and distribution. Placing a named SVP over this function means UMG's AI strategy will have a clearer internal owner and, by extension, a clearer external face when those disputes escalate.

None of the three camps have published reactions to this specific appointment. Pro-AI voices would typically read this as a mature, responsible step, arguing that structured internal governance of AI is exactly what large companies should be doing. Anti-AI advocates would likely treat it with skepticism, expecting that centralizing AI leadership at a major label accelerates the adoption of tools that threaten artists and creators rather than protecting them. The middle ground camp would probably focus on what Celma's mandate actually turns out to be, watching whether the role prioritizes efficiency and revenue or includes meaningful guardrails around artist consent and compensation.

The clearest signal to watch for next is any public statement of priorities or policy from Celma in his new role, as well as whether UMG uses this leadership structure to stake out a position in ongoing industry negotiations over AI licensing and training data rights.