<\/p>\n
Photo Credit: Deezer<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Deezer announced the disconcerting slop stats and the corresponding crackdown today. As many know, the DSP\u2019s been identifying and labeling AI tracks for a while; back in January 2025, closer to 10,000<\/a> such uploads were hitting the service daily.<\/p>\n By April of the same year, the total had climbed to 20,000<\/a> \u2013 en route to cracking 30,000<\/a> in September, 50,000<\/a> in November, 60,000<\/a> in January 2026, 75,000<\/a> this past April, and nearly 90,000 at present.<\/p>\n (Though the company\u2019s identification tech is evidently effective<\/a>, higher-ups have acknowledged that it doesn\u2019t flag every single AI-generated track; the actual figures are probably even larger.)<\/p>\n Additionally, however, Deezer determined that \u201cup to 85% of the streams generated by fully AI-generated tracks were in fact fraudulent in 2025.\u201d This problematic finding aside, the DSP in its January and April 2026 AI updates expressed the belief that potential steps including \u201cremoving\/demonetizing content need to be based on careful consideration.\u201d<\/p>\n Three months later, said careful consideration has prompted concrete action: Already in the habit of booting AI uploads from algorithmic recommendations (plus omitting them from editorial playlists) and demonetizing tracks flagged for fraud, Deezer intends to begin axing the latter from its platform altogether.<\/p>\n \u201cMoving forward, Deezer will systematically take down AI-tracks used for streaming fraud, and those that haven\u2019t been streamed for at least 6 months,\u201d the service revealed today.<\/p>\n \u201cDeezer has been at the frontline of fighting fraud and reducing payment dilution related to AI music for almost two years,\u201d said Lanternier. \u201cNow that half of all daily uploads are AI-generated tracks, we are taking additional steps to safeguard the rights of artists and songwriters, while maintaining focus on music that fans actually love.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have reached a pivotal moment, but we have the technology to keep track of the development, and an ambition to do what\u2019s right. If the industry can align and come together to create shared standards, we can build a healthy and sustainable music ecosystem, where great music wins,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n This ecosystem will presumably revolve around the recently proposed tags<\/a> for AI tracks. Assuming the approach takes off, the stage will perhaps be set for isolating proper music on streaming services \u2013 or, put differently, making on-demand platforms look a bit more like they did prior to the AI explosion.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Tidal has opted to demonetize<\/a> AI audio across the board, and various countries are inching<\/a> towards implementing rights-related regulations with human artists and authors in mind.<\/p>\n <\/div>\nIt goes without saying that the rapid \u201csynthetic content\u201d acceleration is troubling enough on its own \u2013 especially for non-major-label acts who lack the distinct advantage of contractually guaranteed editorial playlist spots.<\/h4>\n
Addressing the new policy, Deezer CEO Alexis Lanternier emphasized the need for the industry to \u201calign and come together to create shared standards\u201d addressing the AI audio avalanche.<\/h4>\n