Record labels and a coalition of artist groups are pushing major streaming giants to apply specific labels to music generated by artificial intelligence, as the entire music industry grapples with the transformative impact of AI.
An alliance comprising multiple record labels and artist rights organizations is pressuring streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music to add indicators on track pages, specifying whether AI was used in the creative process. This labeling mechanism relies on voluntary disclosure of AI usage by artists, labels, and publishers.
Led by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), the initiative plans to establish two distinct label categories for AI music:
Pure AI-Generated Track Label: For music fully generated from prompts, or where the lead vocals and core instrumental performances are entirely AI-produced.
AI-Assisted Creation Label: For music primarily created by humans, with only certain elements assisted by AI.
The function of these AI labels is analogous to existing explicit content warning tags on streaming services. Currently, this labeling system does not cover AI use in lyric writing, composition, music videos, or album artwork.
Some artists accept AI as a creative tool, equating it to conventional equipment like synthesizers for making beats and arranging music. However, many musicians are deeply concerned: their original recordings are being used without compensation to train AI models, and they fear a flood of AI-generated works will crowd out exposure for human-created original music. Major streaming platforms are also taking steps to filter out low-quality, mass-produced AI songs.
Mitch Glazier, President of the RIAA, stated that many music fans are not opposed to AI music, but they want to know clearly whether the work they are listening to was created by a human.
"The creative process should maintain flexibility, and musicians who wish to use AI in their work should have the freedom to use this technology," Glazier said. "Transparency is the optimal solution to balance both sets of concerns."
The Digital Media Association, representing streaming companies including Spotify and Apple Music, responded that it is following this labeling proposal and hopes the industry can provide more detailed and accurate metadata about AI-assisted creation.
Association President Graham Davies stated, "Creative information only delivers its full value when it is passed completely from the creator to the listener. Our member platform companies need partners across the industry supply chain to cooperate in implementing this standard."
Organizations supporting this labeling effort also include the American Association of Independent Music, the Recording Academy (Grammy Awards), the SAG-AFTRA union, and the Human Artistry Campaign.
Spotify has already introduced a related feature, labeling AI involvement in the song credits information section. Apple Music has launched a "Transparency Indicator" system, allowing record labels and publishers to voluntarily indicate when AI was used in any aspect—such as album artwork, composition, recording, or music videos—when uploading new songs.
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