Spotify to add label for AI-generated artists and remove them from recommendations

Spotify is set to launch a new feature that will identify and label artists generated by artificial intelligence (AI). The AI Persona badge will start appearing on mid-September profiles, informing listeners if an "artist's identity may be AI-generated and does not represent a real person." The streaming service aims to provide users with more transparency about what they listen to, following feedback from music fans who have made it clear they dislike encountering AI-generated profiles that seem human.

Musician Alex Winn believes the feature is a "really good thing," as it helps separate artists who create music legitimately from those using AI. He believes that emotional connection with music is something AI cannot replicate. Music fan Leon Keenan agrees that clearly labeling AI-generated music is a positive step, though he does not advocate for removing AI music entirely from Spotify.

Ellie Sumner, another music fan, welcomes the new label, stating that she has fallen for AI-generated music before and it's necessary to label it for transparency. Spotify explains that true artist-fan connection can only be built on a foundation of trust and authenticity, which is crucial in the age of generative AI. The AI Persona badge will appear on artist profile banners, section descriptions, search results, and playlists.

Artists with the badge will not appear in users' personalized recommendations unless they follow them. The badge will relate to the "artist's public identity" and not how the music was made, acknowledging that AI tools are used in human music creation. Artists can currently disclose their use of AI tools through the AI Credits feature, and Spotify expects artists to self-disclose similarly.

However, Spotify will also review accounts that appear to meet the AI Persona criteria, and those labeled will be given the chance to self-disclose or appeal the decision.