A coalition of record-industry bodies, including the RIAA, A2IM, IMPALA, IFPI, WIN, the Recording Academy, SAG-AFTRA and the Human Artistry Campaign, has proposed a shared labelling scheme so listeners can tell how AI figured in a recording.
There would be two square icons: a capitalised "AI" for tracks that are machine output, and a smaller lowercase "ai" for AI-assisted ones. To count as assisted, a recording must be substantially human-made, with people performing the lead vocal and main instruments; lyrics, composition, videos and artwork are outside the scheme for now.
The groups say they are talking to streaming services, distributors and standards bodies such as DDEX about rollout, and that the labels, voluntary at first, can change as the technology does. Streaming trade body DIMA and Deezer both welcomed the move, saying better metadata would help them inform listeners.
The proposal fits the majors' wider effort to identify and get paid for AI music, alongside Sony's tagging work and Warner's purchase of attribution firm Sureel, and follows criticism of how streaming services currently flag AI uploads. The report adds that if AI is as widespread in commercial releases as Suno's chief executive has claimed, the number of records that end up carrying a tag will say a lot.
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