Apple is developing a label called “Made with AI” for the Apple Music service. According to the report, if “a portion of the content” is generated using generative artificial intelligence, applying this label will be mandatory.
Despite the publication of this report, Apple has not yet announced official details of the plan. It is also unclear when exactly these labels will appear in Apple Music and what definition Apple will use for content covered by this policy. Apple has not yet provided any comment in response to a request for comment about the report.
Apple Music’s new policy on AI music
Earlier this year Apple added the Transparency Tags feature to Apple Music. This feature allowed music publishers and distributors to indicate tracks that were produced with the help of AI so that users would know what type of content they are listening to.
However, the use of these tags was not mandatory and their application largely depended on the publisher or distributor’s decision. As a result, not all AI-produced tracks were likely to be marked consistently and reliably for users.
The new policy now reported could take a different approach. If Apple truly makes labeling AI-generated content mandatory, the responsibility for identifying and declaring such content will no longer rest solely with publishers and distributors.
Why does labeling AI-produced music matter?
The rapid growth of generative AI tools has posed new challenges for the music industry. New tools can produce pieces of music in a short time; a development that has on one hand created new opportunities for artists and on the other hand raised concerns about the authenticity of works, rights of content owners, and the impact of AI-produced music on the market.
One major challenge is the increased volume of AI-produced music on streaming services. In recent months, even some major music publishers have called for preventing a wide presence of low-quality AI-produced music on global music charts.
Meanwhile, streaming platforms do not have a uniform approach to this new wave. Some companies have focused on identifying and limiting AI-generated content, while others are trying to accept the technology while creating a clear framework for its use.
Competition to identify AI-produced music
One notable example in this area is Deezer, which has developed tools to identify AI-produced music. This trend shows that streaming platforms are gradually building mechanisms to detect and categorize AI-generated content.
If the report about Apple’s new policy is correct, Apple Music could also take an important step in the same direction. Requiring the “Made with AI” label would allow users to have more information about the origin of the content they listen to when choosing music.
Of course, the success of this plan will largely depend on how “use of AI” is defined. It is still unclear whether Apple will label only tracks whose majority was created by AI, or whether limited use of AI tools in the music production process will also be sufficient to receive this label.
If implemented, Apple Music could become one of the first major streaming services to make labeling AI-generated content an official requirement; a change that will likely affect how music is released and consumed in the AI era.