Prosecutors say Michael Smith, who is accused of using AI to generate music for streaming, should receive a prison sentence after allegedly “stealing” about $8 million in royalties tied to streaming activity. According to the filings cited by outlets, Smith’s catalog generated roughly 80.9 million YouTube Music streams from family-plan subscribers in April 2023.
Both reports describe Smith’s defense as challenging the impact of the scheme. Smith argues the streaming fraud did not harm people, while prosecutors contend it deprived “hard-working” and underpaid songwriters and recording artists of money. The difference in framing centers on whether the conduct is viewed primarily as victimless or as taking revenue from creators who receive lower payments for streams.
The outlets also connect the scale of streams to the broader argument that the alleged scheme produced substantial royalties. One report highlights the comparison to mainstream artists’ streaming totals to underscore magnitude, while the other emphasizes prosecutors’ language about compensation shortfalls for musicians.
