Tidal won’t pay royalties on AI-generated music but isn’t banning it outright

In July the platform will label tracks that are 100 percent AI-generated, but it’s demonetizing them starting today.

In July the platform will label tracks that are 100 percent AI-generated, but it’s demonetizing them starting today.

Tidal shared its new policies regarding AI-generated music today and how the platform plans to “protect artists” and “inform listeners.” Instead of banning it outright, starting on July 15th Tidal will label tracks it has identified as being 100 percent AI-generated with an icon. But starting today those tracks will no longer be monetizable. “Tidal’s priority is ensuring royalties go to original works directly produced, written, and performed by people. We will therefore not knowingly attribute royalties to music we identify as wholly AI-generated,” the company’s announcement reads.

The platform didn’t specify what tools it’s using to identify AI-generated music, but the new policy says that as tools improve and become more reliable it eventually plans to also add the label to any uploads that are “substantially AI-generated.” In addition to its own detection tools, Tidal warns that identifying AI-generated music should not be its responsibility alone and that the platform will “begin to enforce” an expectation that content distributors properly label AI-generated music as well.

In an effort to deter the use of any AI generative tool that “exploits an individual’s or group’s music, name or likeness, deceives listeners, or diminishes the quality of our service,” starting in mid-July Tidal will also remove or block “AI-generated music associated with fraudulent activity.” Those activities can include music designed to deceive listeners or interfere with authentic artists, high-volume uploads, or “unusual streaming activity.”

Tidal’s competitors have previously addressed the influx of AI-generated music with tools and policies of their own. In April, Spotify launched a new verification program where some artists the company has confirmed as being a real person received a green checkmark and a “Verified by Spotify” badge on their profiles, while profiles that primarily upload AI-generated content are not eligible for the distinction. Deezer also developed tools for detecting fully AI-generated music when it’s uploaded in order to reduce its visibility on that platform, and last month it created a website you can use to scan your playlists on other streaming platforms to detect AI-generated tracks.

• Andrew Liszewski