Spotify outlined new steps to fight AI spam and voice cloning, and to label AI use in music. The company says the plan aims to protect artists and help listeners trust what they hear. According to The Verge, executives also pushed back on rumors about AI in playlists.
AI disclosure standard and industry support
Spotify is working with DDEX on a new metadata standard to disclose AI use in any part of song creation. This covers AI-made sounds, like vocals and instruments, and AI help during mixing and mastering, said Sam Duboff, head of marketing and policy.
Fifteen record labels and music distributors have agreed to adopt the disclosures, Duboff said. He did not give a timeline for the standard. Labels and distributors will need to change how they deliver credit data to Spotify.
Protecting artists while allowing AI tools
Charlie Hellman, global head of music product, said the goal is to protect “authentic artists from spam and impersonation and deception.” He added that Spotify also wants artists to use AI if they choose.
Impersonation removals and new spam filter
Spotify expanded its response to impersonation. The policy covers use of another artist’s voice without permission, including unauthorized AI voice clones, deepfakes, and other vocal replicas, Duboff said.
He said Spotify will roll out a music spam filter over the next few weeks or a few months. The filter targets tactics like uploading many near-duplicate tracks with tweaked metadata. It also looks for tracks slightly longer than 30 seconds, which can try to rack up royalty-bearing streams.
Spotify says it removed 75 million spam tracks in the last 12 months. The company’s moves aim to cut what some call AI “slop,” and help listeners see when AI played a role.
Duboff also addressed claims that Spotify adds AI songs to playlists to avoid paying artists. He called the claims “categorically and absolutely false.” He said Spotify does not create any music, with AI or without it. He added that 100% of music on the platform is created, owned, and uploaded by licensed third parties, and Spotify pays out royalties on all of it.
