Spotify to label AI-generated artists and remove them from recommendations

Spotify is introducing a new feature to identify artists whose identities may have been generated by artificial intelligence (AI).

According to the BBC, the streaming platform will add an AI Persona badge to some artist profiles from mid-September.

The badge will alert listeners when an artist's identity may be AI-generated and may not represent a real person, it added.

Spotify said this move aims to give users more transparency about the music they hear.

The company said some listeners have complained after discovering that artists who appeared to be real people were actually AI-generated.

"Artists with the badge will also be excluded from personalised recommendations, but they can still appear if a user already follows them."

The badge will appear on artist profile banners and in the "About" section.

A notice will also appear when the artist is shown in search results or on tracks in playlists.

Spotify said the badge will focus on an artist's public identity.

"It will not indicate whether AI was used to create the music, as the company noted that many human musicians now use AI tools as part of the creative process."

The company hopes AI-generated artist profiles will also disclose their identity voluntarily. Spotify will also review accounts that appear to meet its criteria.

Artists labelled by Spotify will have the opportunity to confirm the label or appeal the decision.

The badge will indicate whether an artist disclosed the AI identity themselves or was identified through Spotify's review process.

Listeners and musicians back the move

The move has received support from some music listeners and musicians.

Alex Winn, a guitarist with North East band Swindled, told BBC Newsbeat that the feature was a positive step. 

He said it could help distinguish musicians who create music themselves from those who rely on AI.

Music fan Leon Keenan, 20, also supported the labelling system. He said AI-generated music should not necessarily be removed from Spotify, but listeners should be told clearly when they are hearing it.

Ellie Sumner, 21, said the label was necessary. She said she had previously failed to realise that some content was AI-generated.

Spotify said trust between artists and fans is becoming more important as generative AI becomes more common in music.

The company said listeners should be able to trust that the artist behind the music is who they claim to be.