Major music industry organizations on Friday introduced a voluntary labeling system intended to let listeners know when songs use generative artificial intelligence. The proposal is led by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), with support from other groups including the Grammys. The labels distinguish between two categories. One label is for tracks that are primarily “AI-generated,” including cases where AI produces the entirety or the primary portion of the recording’s creative elements. Another label is for “AI-assisted” recordings, which are still created substantially by humans and reflect human creativity, but include some expressive elements generated with AI. Under the proposal, humans must perform the lead vocals and the primary instrumental tracks for the “AI-assisted” category.
The effort is aimed at broad global adoption, including on streaming services, and is presented as a unified way to scale AI disclosure for consumers. Some platforms already use related approaches, such as Deezer’s AI detection and Spotify initiatives around authenticity and AI disclosure. Streaming industry trade group Digital Media Association says it is monitoring the announcement and wants more detailed AI metadata to improve transparency.