Music Insiders Call for Warning Labels After AI-Generated Band Gets 1 Million Plays On Spotify

Bruce66423 shares a report from The Guardian: They went viral, amassing more than 1m streams on Spotify in a matter of weeks, but it later emerged that hot new band the Velvet Sundown were AI-generated -- right down to their music, promotional images and backstory. The episode has triggered a debate about authenticity, with music industry insiders saying streaming sites should be legally obliged to tag music created by AI-generated acts so consumers can make informed decisions about what they are listening to.

Several figures told the Guardian that the present situation, where streaming sites, including Spotify, are under no legal obligation to identify AI-generated music, left consumers unaware of the origins of the songs they're listening to. Roberto Neri, the chief executive of the Ivors Academy, said: 'AI-generated bands like Velvet Sundown that are reaching big audiences without involving human creators raise serious concerns around transparency, authorship and consent.' Neri added that if 'used ethically,' AI has the potential to enhance songwriting, but said at present his organization was concerned with what he called 'deeply troubling issues' with the use of AI in music.

Sophie Jones, the chief strategy officer at the music trade body the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), backed calls for clear labelling. 'We believe that AI should be used to serve human creativity, not supplant it,' said Jones. 'That's why we're calling on the UK government to protect copyright and introduce new transparency obligations for AI companies so that music rights can be licensed and enforced, as well as calling for the clear labelling of content solely generated by AI.'

Liz Pelly, the author of Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist, said independent artists could be exploited by people behind AI bands who might create tracks that are trained using their music. She referred to the 2023 case of a song that was uploaded to TikTok, Spotify and YouTube, which used AI-generated vocals claiming to be the Weeknd and Drake. Universal Music Group said the song was 'infringing content created with generative AI' and it was removed shortly after it was uploaded.

Aurelien Herault, the chief innovation officer at the music streaming service Deezer, said the company uses detection software that identifies AI-generated tracks and tags them. He said: 'For the moment, I think platforms need to be transparent and try to inform users. For a period of time, what I call the 'naturalization of AI', we need to inform users when it's used or not.' Herault did not rule out removing tagging in future if AI-generated music becomes more popular and musicians begin to use it like an 'instrument.' At present, Spotify does not label music as AI-generated and has previously been criticized for populating some playlists with music by 'ghost artists' -- fake acts that create stock music. Bruce66423 comments: 'Artists demand 'a warning' on such material. Why? If it is what the people want...'

Read more of this story at Slashdot.