Deezer's AI Arsenal: Striking a Chord Against Music Fraud

Deezer has licensed its AI detection technology to Sacem in a deal to combat music fraud. The tech detects fraudulent AI-generated tracks that siphon royalties from artists. Deezer's tool analyzes patterns in over 94 million songs, but some argue for transparency and licensing as long-term solutions.

Music streaming platform Deezer has made headlines by licensing its AI-detection technology to France's royalty agency Sacem, a significant stride in tackling music fraud. This commercial agreement reflects Deezer's aim to broaden the industry’s use of its innovative tool, as AI's expanding capabilities increasingly obscure the boundary between human and machine-made music.

The deal comes amid rising incidents of fraudulent uploads, where malicious actors release AI-generated tracks to exploit algorithmic recommendations, redirecting royalties away from legitimate artists and songwriters. Deezer's AI solution reportedly identifies and removes up to 85% of such fake streams from its royalty pool, with the platform noting a significant increase in AI-generated music submissions daily.

Deezer's CEO, Alexis Lanternier, highlights that the platform's royalty pool, which consists of 70% of subscriber revenue, benefits from this anti-fraud effort. However, sectors like Sweden's royalty society Stim advocate for comprehensive solutions, including mandatory licensing and data transparency, believing that technology alone cannot resolve issues of musical composition and copyright infringement.