AI music can be difficult to detect, but there are some telltale signs

Worried about AI music slipping onto your playlist? You'll be happy to know detecting it may be easier than you think. Recent years have seen an influx of AI-generated songs, falsely credited to real artists on platforms like Spotify, and infiltrating the music scene. Generative AI technology, while controversial, presents a challenge for listeners who wish to avoid being deceived by robot-produced music. With countless songs generated for AI training, the quality of AI music is under scrutiny.

Listeners often find themselves questioning whether a song was created by artificial intelligence. To help navigate this issue, here are some telltale signs to look out for. AI music may originate from generated instrumentals, vocals, lyrics, or a combination of all three, or it could be a smaller, additive element like a vocal filter or part of the instrumentals.

Vocals are typically the easiest to identify, as AI-generated vocals share similarities with "AI accents" found in other synthetic content. Listen for a slurred or warbled voice that struggles to fit the music, emphasizing words in unusual places and lacking the natural imperfections of human voices. Additionally, AI-generated vocals tend to remain monotonous throughout a song, rarely changing inflection.

The structure and instrumentals of AI music often lack dynamic shifts, key changes, interesting bridges, or non-Western instruments, as they primarily draw from US pop music. Keep an eye out for a lack of metaphor and simile, awkward or ungrammatical phrasing, and a lack of overarching themes or points in the lyrics. Furthermore, AI lyrics tend to repeat ideas and imagery rather than build upon them.

If AI music manages to bypass these indicators, consider the context surrounding the song. If the music is flagged as AI by a platform's tool (like Spotify's Artist Profile Protection) or an external tool (like Deezer's AI music detector), that generally confirms its AI origin. However, platforms like Bandcamp have mistakenly flagged real music as AI, so further investigation is recommended before making a conclusion.

Perform a quick search for the artist behind the song to uncover live performances, social media profiles, interviews, and contact information. If no online presence is found, but the artist releases numerous AI-generated songs with poorly-designed album covers, it's likely a content farm rather than a genuine musician. By employing these strategies, you can effectively spot AI-generated music.