Australia bans AI-generated music from its official charts

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) has announced that it will ban music wholly generated by artificial intelligence from its official charts. The new rules, which take effect from August 31, state that music must be "substantially human-made" to be eligible for the charts. This means that tracks must have been written and performed by humans, with AI used only as a supporting creative tool.

The decision comes as AI-generated music has been flooding streaming platforms, with a recent study finding that 38.5% of music released globally in July involved AI, according to Euronews. A variation of Madonna's "Like a Prayer" created using AI-generated vocals and drums had spent 16 weeks in the Australian top 20, sparking debate about the role of AI in music. ARIA chief executive Annabelle Herd said the changes aimed to promote the human nature of artistry.

Tracks that use AI in a supporting role will remain eligible for the charts, but wholly AI-generated tracks will not be eligible for the ARIA Charts or the Australian industry's prestigious ARIA awards. ARIA will have the power to refuse ineligible recordings, remove them from the charts, and withdraw accreditations. The move has been supported by the music industry, with Herd calling on other parties to implement similar changes to support human artistry.

Brief written by urgent.news from Euronews, IOL, Economic Times Tech, Associated Press, DW English (Top Stories) — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.