Spotify Introduces 'Verified by Spotify' Badge to Combat AI-Generated Music

Spotify and other streaming music sites are now being inundated with AI-generated content to the tune of 44 percent of daily uploads, Deezer reported recently. Spotify is now trying to help listeners separate the wheat from the AI chaff with a new "Verified by Spotify" badge given only to human artists in good standing with the site.

Notably, Spotify said that "AI-generated or AI-persona profiles are not eligible" for the badges. In addition, artists must demonstrate consistent listener engagement and activity, adherence to the platform's policies and "signals of a real artist represented in the profile." More than 99 percent of artists actively sought out by users will be verified at launch, Spotify added, with more coming on a "rolling basis."

The new system should be quite helpful for listeners once they get used to seeing the badges. Spotify notes that they build on existing features for sniffing out fraudulent tracks including Artist Profile Protection, SongDNA and About the Song (all added this year), along with song credits. Deezer, by contrast, took a different approach by using its patent-pending AI music detection tool to find and delete up to 99 percent of AI-generated tracks before they even hit the platform.

The new light green Verified by Spotify checkmarks will start to appear on artist profiles and next to artist names in search "over the coming weeks," the company said. "Not seeing the badge on an artist profile doesn't mean they won't receive it in the future," Spotify added.

Spotify is also introducing a new context section in beta across all artist profiles, regardless of verification status. It likens the feature to "nutrition facts" by offering a snapshot of artists including career milestones, release activity and touring activity. You'll see that in the About section on mobile across artist profiles in the coming weeks.