Tidal, the music streaming platform known for its commitment to high-resolution content, has said it will label music wholly generated by artificial intelligence and come down hard on tracks it deems exploitative. The company will implement automated tools to enforce these changes from the middle of next month (July).
“AI music generation tools are changing how music is created and distributed. As this technology evolves, Tidal is introducing platform standards to protect artists, their craft, and inform listeners,” said the streamer.
In its published AI policy document, the company also said it will “not knowingly attribute royalties to music [it identifies] as wholly AI-generated.”
Good Guy Tidal
If you’ve been on the internet at all in the last three to four years, you might have noticed an uptick in a certain type of content. And by ‘certain type’ we mean AI-generated slop. Sometimes, it’s pretty easy to tell when something is AI-generated. That video of a dog with opposable thumbs carrying a toddler in two arms while also swimming across a stream is a good example. Well… for most sane people. A video of Trump playing keepy uppies with the Pope probably didn’t happen.
For some, spotting AI-generated music is a little trickier, especially when you exclusively listen to country music. That’s not meant as a knock to country music; it’s just that most AI-generated music seems to try to emulate that genre. We don’t make the rules.
You know who does make the rules? Tidal. While it will still allow AI-generated music to be uploaded to its platform, those tracks will receive ‘AI’ labels. If you spot a track with said AI label, you can rest easy knowing it won’t be generating any royalties. Tidal said it is reserving those for real, human-made music. It also said it would remove any songs it deems exploitative.
“We will not tolerate AI-generated music that exploits an individual’s or group’s music, name or likeness, deceives listeners, or diminishes the quality of our service. Effective mid-July, AI-generated music associated with fraudulent activity will be blocked or removed from our platform.”
