AI and Music: Navigating the New Soundscape

A survey reveals most listeners struggle to distinguish AI-generated from human-composed songs, raising ethical concerns in the music industry. With mounting submissions of AI music, platforms like Deezer promote transparency through labeling. Legal challenges and debates on artists' rights intensify with AI's growing presence in music creation.

According to a recent Deezer–Ipsos survey, a striking 97% of listeners cannot tell the difference between songs generated by artificial intelligence and those composed by humans. The findings emphasize the growing concern that AI is transforming how music is created, consumed, and monetized.

The survey, conducted among 9,000 participants in eight countries including the U.S., Britain, and France, sheds light on rising ethical issues in the music industry. A significant segment of listeners believes AI-generated music should be clearly labeled, as most listeners were unable to distinguish it from human-made tracks.

Platforms like Deezer are responding to these concerns by introducing tagging for transparency and excluding AI-generated music from certain playlists. Recent legal challenges, such as a court ruling in Munich against OpenAI's ChatGPT for copyright infringement, highlight the complex landscape for AI-generated music. The debate continues as to how AI will shape the future of the industry.

(With inputs from agencies.)