Spotify asks creators to label songs when they’re AI-generated

Spotify is introducing a new "AI Persona" label to help users distinguish between songs created by real artists and those generated by artificial intelligence. This move aims to increase transparency and prevent confusion among listeners. The world's largest music streaming service explained that it will not recommend AI-generated songs in suggested playlists unless the subscriber explicitly opts for them.

Artists have been able to identify their creations as AI-generated since August 11, with the labels expected to appear on artist profiles in mid-September. Users will also have the ability to flag songs they suspect are AI-generated. If an artist believes their song has been wrongly labeled as AI, they will have an opportunity to appeal the decision.

Spotify's initiative comes amid ongoing debates within the music industry regarding the use of AI technology, which enables even non-musical individuals to produce high-quality songs in minutes. The company acknowledged that listeners have expressed a preference for identifying when an artist profile is AI-generated rather than discovering that a seemingly human persona is actually artificial.

The music industry has been grappling with the implications of this technology, as demonstrated by the recent case of a fabricated band called the Velvet Sundown, which gained popularity despite being entirely fictional. Spotify has been actively developing AI-related products, including AI Credits, a feature that allows artists to track their use of AI in their work.