YouTube Music announced on Wednesday that it is rolling out a new labeling system for songs made with generative AI. The labels are meant to help listeners see when AI was used to create a track.
The label will appear on the player page. Listeners can click it to learn more about the role AI played in making the song, including in composition and vocals.
The labels will also show up on the main YouTube app, not just YouTube Music.
How YouTube’s AI Labels Work
YouTube said it worked with music partners and used its own detection tools to identify AI-generated music. Partners can declare their use of AI through one of three designations.
“Fully Gen AI” covers tracks made entirely by AI. “Partly Gen AI” covers songs where artists used some AI-generated parts but added their own live elements.
Tracks edited with pitch-correction tools such as Auto-Tune fall under “No Gen AI.”
YouTube is focusing on disclosure rather than restrictions. Using AI does not make a track ineligible for monetization on the platform.
The company also tests its own AI music tools. One of them, Dream Track, lets select creators make soundtracks using AI-generated versions of participating artists’ voices.
Deezer Plans a Filter for AI Music
Deezer said on Tuesday that it is working on a toggle that lets users filter out AI-generated music. The feature is expected before the end of the year.
When turned on, the toggle will hide AI-generated tracks, albums, and related artists from search results.
“We’ve seen clear user demand for the ability to filter out AI-generated music,” Deezer CEO Alexis Lanternier said in a statement. He said the rise of AI music on the platform was one reason for the new feature.
Deezer cited a survey from last year that found about 45% of its customers wanted a way to remove AI music from their feeds.
The company added AI-detection tools last year, when AI tracks made up 10% of daily uploads. In July, Deezer said more than 50% of daily uploads were AI-generated, an average of 90,000 tracks per day.
Deezer already labels detected AI music and keeps it out of algorithmic recommendations and editorial playlists. It also withholds royalties from fraudulent streams.
Other streaming services have set their own rules. Bandcamp has banned AI tracks completely, while Tidal labels fully AI-generated recordings, lets listeners turn them off, and excludes them from royalties.
Spotify labels AI tracks and artists and runs a music spam filter. In August, Variety reported that Apple Music plans to add “Made With AI” labels later this year as part of its AI Transparency Tags.
Some users are also turning to independent tracking systems to identify AI music.
YouTube’s new labels, announced Wednesday, are now rolling out across YouTube Music and the main YouTube app.
