A coalition of music industry trade groups led by the RIAA and IFPI have announced a new AI music classification program, seeking wider industry adoption from the likes of streaming services and other industry stakeholders as AI-generated songs continue to flood the market.
The program will be similar to how explicit music is currently rated on services, where a small “E” box is listed next to the track. The groups proposed two different AI tags: an “AI-generated” logo to reveal that the song was entirely or mostly created using AI, and a separate “AI-assisted” logo if the recording was largely human-made but AI was used for some “expressive elements.”
Along with the RIAA, IFPI, Recording Academy, SAG-AFTRA, A2IM, WIN, IMPALA and the Humanitarian Art Campaign all signed the call for labeling as well. The announcement refers to the disclosures as voluntary, and the groups said the labels are “designed to evolve as technology and requirements change.”
“Fans want to know if and how generative AI is being used in the music they listen to,” Vicky Oakley, CEO of the International Federation of Music (IFPI), and RIAA Chairman and CEO Mitch Glazier said in a joint statement. “Given how important human artistry and authenticity are to music fans around the world, these tags will provide an immediately understandable and easily scalable approach to transparency. We recognize the many ways in which AI is being used creatively, so we expect to provide fans with additional information as adoption of generative AI tags grows and the technology evolves.”
It is unclear the timeline for whether and how this system will be adopted. The groups said Friday they will work with “digital music services, distributors, aggregators and standards-setting bodies on industry-wide implementation.”
The move comes as AI music continues to spread across the music ecosystem. Some platforms have decided to ban AI music entirely. Apple Music recently revealed that about a third of daily uploads are AI-generated songs. It’s a popular avenue for streaming fraud due to how easily bad actors can create and upload dozens of new recordings, though services like AI-powered music generation platform Suno are also becoming more popular among artists, producers, and professional songwriters as well.
“As AI continues to be integrated into the creative process, artists and fans alike deserve a clear way to communicate how and when it is being used,” Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. “This initiative ensures that creativity, composition and artistic intent remain at the heart of every song. Giving artists the ability to tell that story strengthens confidence and supports a more sustainable future for music.”
As SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said: “Transparency is essential, but it’s just the beginning. Fans deserve to know when the music they hear is AI-generated or AI-powered, and performers deserve a market that recognizes, values and protects human creativity.”
Outside of the groups’ new label program, streaming services including Apple Music, Spotify and Tidal have already introduced their own voluntary AI music detection systems. In Spotify’s case, these disclosures appear in the song credits.
It is not known how common any type of voluntary disclosure about AI will be, as artists have little incentive to self-report given the stigma surrounding AI music, and those using AI for fraudulent purposes are certainly not looking for transparency. However, Spotify previously said in a blog post that the service has already seen “tens of thousands of AI credits submitted daily by artists using AI in their creative process.”
Beyond self-reporting, technology around AI detection will also play a key role in broader labeling moving forward.
Graham Davies, CEO of the Digital Media Association (DIMA) — the trade group that represents streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify — said in a statement on Friday that the organization is “following today’s announcement closely, adding that it is awaiting better AI metadata from stakeholders.”
“This information flows best when it travels along the entire path from creator to fan, and our members rely on industry partners to make that possible,” Davis said. “Our members look forward to continuing to work with brands, producers, artists and distributors, as well as other industry stakeholders and standards bodies like DDEX, to build a strong supply chain that consumers can trust.”
Sono issued a statement on Friday calling AI classification “a delicate conversation that requires thoughtful solutions, which is why we continue to work with creators, rights holders and platforms on approaches that protect artists while supporting human creativity.”
“We believe transparency is important,” Sono said. “We are investing in watermarks, audio fingerprinting, and other tools that enable artists to detect whether they are using AI in a song. We believe that ultimately it should be up to artists and platforms to decide how to approach these complex issues.”
