Chinese technology giant Alibaba has launched Happy Shrimp, a new artificial intelligence music-generation tool that turns text prompts into fully produced songs for less than $10. The launch adds Alibaba to the crowded and fast-growing field of AI music platforms, at a time when the wider music industry is grappling with how to respond to the technology, with some firms seeking licensing partnerships and others opposed to it entirely.

Happy Shrimp 1.0 was developed by Alibaba Token Hub, the company's AI business unit overseen directly by chief executive Eddie Wu, in partnership with Chinese label TAIHE Music Group. Currently in beta, it lets users generate, publish and interact with AI-made tracks, with memberships starting at $14.90 a month or credit packages from $9.90, and it joins other "Happy" AI tools from Alibaba covering video and 3D content. The move comes amid a broader industry race, with US platform Suno recently signing licensing deals with Warner Music Group and BMG, and Spotify preparing to label AI-generated music and introduce an AI remix feature from September.