Introduction to AI Problems in the Music Industry
The music industry has been facing numerous problems related to AI in recent months. Spotify, a leading music streaming platform, has announced measures to protect its platform against "AI Slop", spam, and other fraudulent activities. The company has removed over 75 million spammy tracks from its platform in the past 12 months.
New Protective Measures
Spotify’s new protective measures include a policy for non-authorized voice cloning ("Deepfakes") and fraudulent music uploaded to official artist profiles. The platform has also extended its spam filter to prevent mass uploads, duplicates, SEO hacks, and artificially short tracks designed to increase streaming numbers and payments. Additionally, Spotify is working with industry partners to develop a standard for credits in songs to clearly indicate where and how AI was used in creating a track.
The Impact of AI on the Music Industry
The rapid progress in generative AI technology has been both exciting and worrying for creative people. On the one hand, AI can enable artists to create music and discover new ways of producing it. On the other hand, AI can be used by bad actors to confuse or deceive listeners, pushing them into the ecosystem and undermining authentic artists’ careers. Spotify believes that aggressive protection against the worst parts of Gen AI is essential to enabling its potential for artists and producers.
Protecting Artists and Listeners
In a press conference, Spotify’s VP and Global Head of Music product, Charlie Hellman, stated that the company is not trying to punish artists for using AI authentically and responsibly. Instead, Spotify aims to stop bad actors who play the system. The company wants to make it possible for artists to be more creative than ever before while protecting against the bad side of AI.
Protective Measures
Spotify’s protective measures include:
Stronger Imitation Rules
The company has introduced a new identity policy that clarifies how it deals with claims about AI voice clones and non-authorized voice plastering. Vocal impotation is only permitted in music on Spotify if the identity artist has approved the use.
Music Spam Filter
Spotify will introduce a new music spam filter this autumn, which will identify and persecute uploaders who use tactics such as mass uploads, duplicates, SEO hacks, and artificially short tracks. The system will be rolled out conservatively to ensure that it does not punish the wrong uploaders.
AI for Music with Industry-Customary Credits
Spotify is working with industry partners to develop a standard for AI information in music credits. This standard will give artists and rights holders the opportunity to clearly state where and how AI played a role in creating a track. The goal is to strengthen trust on the platform and provide listeners with more information about the music they stream.
Conclusion
Spotify is committed to supporting the freedom of AI creatively while combating its abuse through content and bad actors. The company believes that these updates are essential to creating a more trustworthy music ecosystem for artists, rights holders, and listeners. As technology continues to evolve, Spotify will stay tuned and make changes to support the music industry.
