Tidal is taking a hard line on the proliferation of AI-generated music, revealing in a new policy that such sounds will not be eligible for royalties.
Indeed, while AI-generated music will still be accepted on the platform, it will be held to what platform reps have described as a “higher standard of content integrity.”
Naturally, this raises questions about not only the Tidal policy, specifically, but also what policies are in place on other streamers like Apple Music and Spotify.
Below, as we’ve done time and time again (and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future), we take a closer look.
How is Tidal handling AI-generated music? #
“Tidal is not here to bash technological advancement, with today’s launch of our AI policy. Let’s make that clear,” Tony Gervino, Tidal’s executive vice president and editor-in-chief, said Monday (June 29).
Instead, the main impetus behind Tidal’s new policy is the fact that listeners are currently being “inundated with music that is created completely AI-generated and impersonating existing artists purely for financial gain.”
Starting mid-July, any AI-generated music that is determined to be “associated with fraudulent activity” of any kind will be blocked from the platform. AI-generated music, more generally speaking, will be allowed, though none of it will be eligible to earn royalties.
How is Apple Music handling AI-generated music? #
In March of this year, Apple Music was reported to have launched AI disclosure tags as a requirement for labels and distributors. This was followed in May by a more detailed explanation of the platform’s stance on AI in a partners memo, per a report from Billboard at the time.
In it, Apple leadership shared their estimate that less than a single percent of weekly plays on the platform stemmed from AI-generated music. Furthermore, according to the same memo, any AI-generated song found to be engaging in manipulative practices will be removed. Apple Music, notably, has its own in-house tech aimed at tracking down AI-generated content, though it sounds like the platform will continue to push for transparency from labels and distributors.
Complex has reached out to Apple Music reps for comment.
How is Spotify handling AI-generated music? #
Last September, Spotify shared a lengthy breakdown of what its leadership says is being done to protect artists, songwriters, and producers in the face of AI-generated music.
Key features outlined in their breakdown include a then-new impersonation policy (such impersonation is only allowed if the artist being impersonated has given the go-ahead), a music spam filter, and AI disclosures in credits. The latter is said to be inspired by a desire to strengthen “trust across the platform,” with industry partners including EMPIRE and DistroKid confirmed to be involved.
For more clarity, Complex has also reached out to Spotify. This story may be updated.