Deezer Implements AI Tags to Combat Fraudulent Music Streaming

In a significant move to address the growing concern of music streaming fraud, Deezer, the Paris-based music streaming service, announced on June 20, 2025, its decision to flag albums featuring AI-generated songs. This initiative is part of the company's broader strategy to protect artists and songwriters from fraudulent practices that exploit the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence in music creation.

Deezer's CEO, Alexis Lanternier, stated that the platform is witnessing a marked rise in music created with AI tools, which are reportedly being utilized to earn royalties through deceptive means. "AI-generated music is an industry-wide issue," Lanternier emphasized in a press release. The platform will henceforth display a label on-screen warning users about “AI-generated content,” alerting them that certain tracks on an album were produced using AI song generators.

According to Deezer's internal data, approximately 18% of the songs uploaded to the platform each day—around 20,000 tracks—are now entirely AI-generated. This figure has seen a significant increase from 10% just three months earlier. While fully AI-generated music accounts for only about 0.5% of total streams on Deezer, the company's analysis suggests that the majority of listens for these AI-generated songs are likely driven by streaming farms or bots rather than actual human engagement. Lanternier indicated that as many as seven in ten listens for an AI song come from such automated sources, underscoring the fraudulent nature of these streams.

The rise of AI in music production has ignited debates concerning creative ownership and copyright laws. Major record labels are currently embroiled in lawsuits against AI song generators like Suno and Udio, alleging copyright infringement for producing tracks that closely mimic original works. Notably, the German royalty-collection group Gema is suing Suno in Munich, claiming it generated songs that are "confusingly similar" to well-known tracks such as “Forever Young” by Alphaville and “Mambo No. 5” by Lou Bega.

In response to these challenges, Deezer is employing advanced AI detection tools to identify and tag songs generated by AI. Lanternier explained, "We identify patterns because the song creates such a complex signal. There is lots of information in the song." This advanced analytical approach allows Deezer to differentiate between human-created and AI-generated music effectively. Importantly, any AI songs suspected of being used for stream manipulation will be excluded from royalty payments, reinforcing the company’s commitment to safeguarding artists' rights.

Deezer's initiative reflects a larger trend within the music industry as it grapples with the implications of generative AI technology. In recent months, there have been notable instances of fraudulent activities, including a criminal case in the U.S. where an individual was charged with wire fraud for generating hundreds of thousands of AI songs and using bots to stream them billions of times, resulting in illicit earnings of at least $10 million.

As the music industry continues to evolve with technological advancements, the balance between innovation and the protection of intellectual property remains precarious. Deezer's proactive stance serves as a critical response to the complexities introduced by AI, aiming to maintain the integrity of the music ecosystem. The future will likely see further developments in this area as both artists and platforms navigate the emerging landscape shaped by AI's capabilities.