Apple Music introduces AI “transparency” tags for AI music
Apple Music is set to add transparency tags on its streaming platform to flag music made using AI.
According to Music Business Worldwide, Apple shared a newsletter with industry partners to introduce and explain the launch of a new set of metadata promoting transparency around how and when AI is used in music.
Apple Music will add the option to include metadata tags that distributors can use to flag when AI-generated content is involved in certain aspects of a song.
The tags distinguish between the use of AI in the song’s artwork, track, composition (lyrics), or music video. Apple Music has advised that something be flagged as AI if a “material portion” of the work was created using the new technology.
As such, the label or distributor must manually choose whether they want to flag their use of AI or not. According to the inside report, the tags will be “required when delivering new content to Apple Music in the future”.
The company added, “As the music industry continues to develop and refine standards relating to AI-generated content, Apple Music will remain focused on maintaining a level and fair playing field for all creators and content providers alike.”
In the email update, Apple Music then described these tags as “a concrete first step toward the transparency necessary for the industry to establish best practices and policies that work for everyone”.
It isn’t yet clear what the punishment will be for labels and distributors should they fail to disclose whether AI is used in the music or the surrounding project. Apple Music has yet to clarify when these tags will be in full usage.
On the contrary, the streaming platform Deezer is trying to flag content via an in-house AI detection tool, but the accuracy of such a system is still contested.
In the world of Spotify, the platform recently announced new impersonation rules for music uploads; however, Spotify doesn’t appear to have clarified its stance on distinguishing AI music from an authentic upload.
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