YouTube Starts Labelling AI-Generated Songs As Streaming Services Draw A Line
YouTube is putting a marker on songs made by machines. The platform will label AI-generated tracks across both its main site and YouTube Music, and the rollout began on YouTube Music on Wednesday.
The tag appears on a track’s player page, and tapping it opens more detail on how AI was used in the song. It’s aimed at songs YouTube judges to have been made primarily with generative AI, using its own detection tools alongside those of its music partners. No date has been given for when the labels will reach the main YouTube app. TechCrunch also reports that YouTube is working on an option that would let listeners filter AI music out altogether.
The company says it’s responding to listener demand, as audiences have said they want transparency when they’re hearing an AI-generated track.
YouTube is far from the first to move. Apple Music said in August it would add “Made by AI” labels later this year, and Spotify plans to tag apparently AI-generated artist profiles as “AI Personas”. Tidal has pledged to label AI tracks and stop them earning royalties. Over the summer, the RIAA, IFPI, the Grammys and SAG-AFTRA also joined forces to push for a shared labelling system.
The scale of the problem explains the urgency. Deezer said in April that around 75,000 AI-generated tracks were arriving on its platform every day, making up 44% of new uploads.
Labels only tell listeners what they’re hearing, though. They don’t stop AI music being made, uploaded or monetised, and how well YouTube’s detection tools hold up will decide whether the tag means anything.
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