France-headquartered music streaming service Deezer has introduced a new artificial intelligence detection tool, following the filing of two patent applications for this technology in December.
On Friday (January 24), the company announced that its new technology has already identified approximately 10,000 ‘fully AI generated tracks’ being delivered to their platform every day.
This constitutes about 10% of the daily content uploaded to Deezer.
CEO of Deezer Alexis Lanterner stated that the company intends to “exclude” entirely AI-generated tracks “from algorithmic and editorial recommendations.”
Impact of Generative AI on Music
“Generative AI has the potential to positively influence music creation and consumption, but its application must be undertaken responsibly to protect the rights and incomes of artists and songwriters,” Lanterner commented.
The company claims that it developed an artificial intelligence detection tool last year that “exceeds the (ED) capability of available tools.”
“Current market tools can be effective when trained on datasets from specific generative AI models, but detection rates decline significantly when faced with new models or data,” explained Aurelien Gero, Director of Innovation at Deezer.
“We have addressed this issue and built a tool that is significantly more robust and versatile across multiple models.”
“Generative AI has the potential to positively impact the creation and consumption of music, but its use must be guided by responsibility and care to protect the rights and incomes of artists and songwriters.”
Alexis Lanterner, Deezer
Deezer’s new tool, for which the company filed two patents in December, “can detect artificially created music from various generative models such as Suno and Udio, with the capability to enhance discovery features for almost any similar tool, provided that appropriate sample data is accessible.”
Suno and Udio are among the most popular generative music AI tools currently available.
Last year, these companies sued three specialty labels, claiming that the arts companies trained their models using copyrighted music without permission.
Recently, Suno also initiated a lawsuit against the German Collections Society and the licensing body HemaField.
Deezer has emerged as one of the most proactive digital service providers (DSPs) in detecting AI-generated content, including “noise” tracks aimed at preserving revenue from royalties and eliminating low-quality content.
In 2023, the company introduced an “artist-centric” payment model with Universal Music Group that aims to reward artists with substantial followings sought after by subscribers while removing low-quality content. Other music companies such as Warner Music Group and the indie licensing organization Merlin have also adopted this model in France.
Deezer reported last year that it had removed 26 million “useless” tracks from its platform following the rollout focused on artists.
“There’s a great deal of duplicate content, and much of it isn’t even music… eventually, you end up with an overwhelming amount of useless content for users, leading to a negative user experience,” stated Geronimo Folgueira.
The growing prevalence of AI-generated music on streaming platforms poses a significant challenge for artists, labels, and publishers.
A report released late last year by CISAC, the global umbrella organization for creators’ societies, estimated that AI could “cannibalize” up to 24% of the income of music creators by 2028.
It projected a total loss of 22 billion euros (US$23.1 billion) in revenue for music and audiovisual creators over a five-year period (2023 to 2028), compared to earnings that would have been generated in the absence of AI. This loss pertains solely to the creators, as the report did not assess losses for record labels and publishers.
“We want decision-makers to recognize the urgent necessity to protect individuals and safeguard the interests of society, culture, and creativity,” stated CISAC Director General Gadi Oron.
Oron indicated that no AI developer has entered into a licensing agreement with any of the 225 collective management organizations (CMOs), performance rights organizations (PROs), or other societies worldwide that are members of CISAC.
“Our societies are urging numerous artificial intelligence companies to negotiate a license to acknowledge the usage of works belonging to creators,” Oron added.
Lucas focuses on the interaction between music and society. He specializes in how music influences and reflects cultures, analyzing the role of sound in social, political, and cultural events around the world.
