Deezer will soon let you filter out AI-generated music

Your music streaming experience can now exclude AI-generated content, prioritizing human artists if you choose.

Deezer announced it is developing a new feature that will allow users to filter out AI-generated music from their listening experience. The toggle is expected to be implemented before the end of 2024. When activated, the feature will prevent AI-generated tracks, albums, and associated artists from appearing in search results on the platform. Deezer CEO Alexis Lanternier stated that this decision was driven by clear user demand, with a survey indicating that approximately 45% of Deezer customers desired a method to remove AI music from their feeds. This move follows Deezer's implementation of AI-detection tooling last year, which revealed that AI-generated tracks initially constituted 10% of daily uploads. More recently, in July, this figure rose to over 50% of daily uploads, averaging 90,000 tracks per day. Other streaming services have adopted varied approaches, including Bandcamp's ban on AI tracks, Tidal's cessation of AI music monetization, and Spotify's prominent tagging of AI-generated content.

The introduction of a user-selectable filter for AI-generated music signifies a growing tension between the rapid advancement of AI content creation and consumer appetite for authentic human artistry on streaming platforms. Deezer's proactive stance, responding directly to user surveys, suggests a market where the provenance of music is becoming a significant differentiator. This move could pressure competitors to adopt similar user-centric controls, especially as the volume of AI-generated music continues to surge, potentially overwhelming user feeds and impacting discovery for human musicians. The company's own data highlights the accelerating infiltration of AI music, underscoring the urgency for platforms to manage this content influx.

This development signals a potential bifurcation in music streaming services: those that actively facilitate the separation of AI and human-created content, and those that do not. For artists, this could mean increased visibility on platforms that offer such filters, provided their music is clearly distinguishable from AI output. For listeners, it offers greater control over their auditory environment, allowing them to curate a more human-centric listening experience. The success and adoption rate of Deezer's filter will likely inform future strategies across the industry, potentially leading to standardized labeling or even more sophisticated content segmentation in the competitive streaming landscape.