Deezer says 44% of new music uploads are AI-generated, most streams are fraudulent

In the evolving landscape of music consumption, streaming platforms such as Spotify and YouTube Music have largely replaced traditional album purchases, offering unparalleled convenience for listeners. However, this shift has also facilitated the rise of AI-generated music infiltrating personal playlists. While many users may not actively seek to identify AI-created tracks, Deezer has taken significant steps to address this issue by developing advanced technology aimed at detecting such content. According to a recent update from Deezer, an astonishing 44% of all new music uploads on its platform are now generated by artificial intelligence. Even more concerning is the revelation that a majority of the streams attributed to these tracks may be artificial as well. Despite AI music's rapid ascent in popularity over recent years, it has not garnered the same level of attention as other AI advancements, largely because it often goes unnoticed by listeners. With adequate context and prompts, AI-produced tracks can easily mimic the sound of generic, commercially polished music created by human artists. A survey conducted by Deezer highlighted the challenge listeners face when trying to differentiate between AI-generated songs and those composed by humans. Out of participants who listened to three songs—two of which were AI-generated—a staggering 97% failed to distinguish the AI pieces from the human-made one. In response to this growing concern, Deezer has implemented technology to label AI uploads, positioning itself as one of the few platforms explicitly acknowledging this type of content. As generative audio models continue to advance, Deezer is witnessing a surge in AI uploads, with a staggering 75,000 new AI tracks added each day. The platform also licenses its detection technology to other entities, boasting a remarkably low false positive rate of less than 0.01 percent. This development underscores the pressing need for awareness and transparency in the music industry as AI continues to reshape the way we create and consume music.