Some Suno investors may be having dreams of an all-AI-music streaming service, but we aren’t there yet. Speaking to Billboard, Apple Music chief Oliver Schusser said that “more than one third” of the songs being uploaded onto his service are fully AI-generated, but that AI-generated tunes are driving only a tiny percentage – “much lower” than half a percent – of streams. The numbers we’ve seen from other streamers are similar: an enormous number of AI songs are flooding Spotify, Deezer et al., but they aren’t getting listened to.

Given the lack of appetite so far for AI-generated songs on DSPs, the copyright concerns from artists and labels, and the fact that AI song tools are being used to commit streaming fraud, you would think that more streamers would make labeling AI music mandatory. A recent survey from Deezer showed that 80% of listeners want that. Schusser even revealed that Apple has developed their own AI music detection tool, and that they are getting all sorts of interesting information: “You should know, every label in the world is delivering AI,” he said, adding, a little coyly, that “they might not know about it.” 

So what’s the hold up then? The streamers, it turns out, don’t want to own this. For now, Apple is only offering an optional way for artists and labels to self-tag their music as AI generated; Spotify, finally, followed suit this week with their own tagging process. “I've said repeatedly to all the CEOs and presidents of the labels,” said Schusser, “there needs to be an industry consortium where they come together and discuss what is AI. You need to have artists and songwriters in the room as well.” 

“I don't even need to have a seat at the table,” he continued. This sounds like a sensible, even admirable position – let the labels and artists decide for themselves. 

Except that: the streamers are the face of music to their millions of customers; they have a responsibility to them. And, more important, AI music on the streamers’ platforms is literally costing artists, songwriters and labels money: it may be a small percentage of streams now, but streaming royalties are a zero sum game, where every dollar that goes to an AI-generated track is a dollar that isn’t going to a human artist. 

Earlier in the interview, Schusser gave a thoughtful, genuine-sounding justification for Apple Music not having a free tier. “I think it's the wrong thing for artists and songwriters,” he said. “If you, like us, look at music like a piece of art, it should not be free. I can't think of any other piece of art that is free.” So why, then, is Apple Music dragging their feet when it comes to protecting artists’ incomes under their own roof?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this; email me at [email protected]

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