Majority of AI-generated music streams on Deezer are fraudulent
A report has revealed that around 70% of AI-generated music on Deezer is fraudulent.
Streaming platform Deezer has revealed a worrying trend in the world of artificial intelligence and music. According to a recent report, the platform found that up to 70% of streams of AI-generated music are fraudulent.
While AI-made music currently makes up only 0.5% of streams on the platform, Deezer’s internal analysis shows that a large portion of those plays come from bots rather than real listeners. These bots are used by fraudsters to generate fake plays, helping them collect royalty payments that would otherwise go to legitimate creators.
Deezer’s director of royalties and reporting, Thibault Roucou, explained, “As long as there is money [in fraudulent streaming] there will be efforts, unfortunately, to try to get a profit from it. That’s why we’re investing in fighting it, because we know it’s not going away and we need to be one step ahead every time.”
Fraud streaming isn’t limited to one particular genre or style of music, as The Guardian points out. According to Deezer, frauds streamed tracks range from pop to hip-hop to atmospheric mood music. By doing so, they avoid detection systems that flag huge numbers of streams on a small number of tracks. Instead, they game the system with large volumes of mediocre AI music, quietly pulling in royalty earnings.
Deezer has started fighting back. The company says it now uses detection tools capable of identifying 100% of AI-generated content from major models like Suno and Udio. When fraudulent activity is found, royalty payments are blocked. The platform also removes fully AI-generated tracks from algorithmic recommendations, aiming to limit the spread and earnings of this kind of content.
This announcement follows Deezer’s earlier revelation that AI-generated music now makes up 18% of all uploads to the service – around 20,000 tracks per day. It’s a staggering number, especially considering Deezer has a global user base of over 10 million subscribers.
According to Roucou, the people behind these fraudulent streams remain unknown, but there are signs the operation is well-coordinated. With the music streaming industry now worth $20.4 billion globally, as reported by the IFPI, it’s become a lucrative target for those looking to exploit the system.
In its most recent global music report, the IFPI described streaming fraud as a practice that takes money away from “legitimate artists” and noted that the rise of generative AI has “significantly exacerbated” the issue.
The growing use of AI in music isn’t just a technological shift – it’s becoming a significant challenge for platforms and artists alike. With AI tools becoming more accessible, the line between innovation and exploitation is thinner than ever.