YouTube Music launches new labels as AI-generated music floods streaming platforms

YouTube Music has introduced a new labeling system to enhance transparency regarding tracks generated with generative AI. Listeners will now be able to identify AI-assisted compositions, including vocals, directly on the YouTube player page. Clicking on the label reveals details about the specific role of AI in the track's creation.

This labeling system will also be applied to the main YouTube app. To identify AI-generated music, YouTube partnered with various music industry stakeholders and employed its own detection tools. Depending on their usage of generative AI, partners can now label their music as "Fully Gen AI," "Partly Gen AI," or "No Gen AI." "Fully Gen AI" refers to tracks created entirely by AI, while "Partly Gen AI" covers works that incorporate AI-generated components alongside live elements.

Tracks edited using AI tools like Auto-Tune are classified under "No Gen AI." This initiative aligns with the growing prevalence of AI-generated music on streaming platforms. Apple Music plans to launch "Made With AI" labels later in the year, while Spotify already employs AI labels and a music spam filter. Deezer has taken a stringent stance, processing around 90,000 fully AI-created tracks daily, which it excludes from algorithmic recommendations, editorial playlists, and royalties.

TIDAL labels completely AI-generated recordings, allowing users to disable them and exempts these tracks from royalty attribution. Unlike YouTube's approach, these platforms are focusing on restrictions rather than disclosure. YouTube's new system aims to inform listeners about AI's role in music creation without restricting monetization opportunities.

The platform continues to experiment with AI-powered music creation tools, such as Dream Track, which enables artists to generate AI-generated voice tracks for select creators.