Deezer, a prominent music streaming platform, has announced an upcoming feature that will empower its users to exclude AI-generated musical content from their listening experience. This development reflects a growing trend within the music industry to address the proliferation of artificial intelligence in content creation and cater to audience preferences for human artistry. The new filtering mechanism, anticipated to launch before the close of the year, will offer a distinct option for subscribers to tailor their musical discovery.
The decision to implement this filter stems directly from user feedback and the noticeable surge in AI-created music being uploaded to the platform. According to Deezer's CEO, Alexis Lanternier, there has been a clear demand from the user base for tools that enable them to navigate and curate their musical consumption, specifically to avoid AI-generated tracks. Lanternier highlighted that this feature is a direct response to the increasing volume of such content, providing listeners with the choice to focus exclusively on creations by human artists if they so desire.
Last year, Deezer had already begun to implement AI-detection capabilities, meticulously monitoring the influx of AI-generated music onto its service. Initial reports from the company indicated that AI-generated tracks constituted approximately 10% of daily uploads. However, this figure dramatically escalated, with more recent data from July revealing that over half of the daily uploads to Deezer were attributed to AI, amounting to an average of 90,000 tracks per day. This rapid increase underscored the necessity for a user-facing solution.
The industry at large has been grappling with how to integrate or manage AI-generated music. Other platforms have adopted varied approaches: Bandcamp has completely prohibited AI tracks, while Tidal has opted to de-monetize content produced by AI. Spotify has taken a more moderate stance, choosing to label AI tracks and artists prominently within its interface, without outright banning or de-monetizing them. Apple Music has also reportedly been working on its own labeling system for AI-made tracks, expected to be introduced by year-end. Beyond these platform-specific measures, independent tracking systems are also emerging, reflecting a broader effort to distinguish between human and artificial musical creations.
The introduction of this filter by Deezer marks a significant step in acknowledging and responding to the evolving landscape of music creation and consumption. By giving users the power to customize their exposure to AI-generated content, Deezer aims to enhance the user experience and maintain its commitment to human creativity amidst technological advancements in the music industry.
