A major concern has emerged in the digital music space, where artificial intelligence is now being linked to a large-scale fraud system valued at around €4 billion, nearly ₹36,000 crore. The issue involves fake music tracks being uploaded to streaming platforms and plays being artificially increased using automated bots to generate illegal earnings.
Findings reveal that AI tools have made music creation extremely easy, allowing fraudsters to produce millions of tracks and distribute them widely. Many of these songs are released under fake names or identities similar to real artists, increasing the risk of impersonation and copyright issues.
Data from Deezer shows that by April 2026, around 75,000 fully AI-generated tracks were uploaded daily, making up nearly 44% of all uploads. A large share of this content is believed to be created only to manipulate streaming numbers. Reports suggest that about 85% of the revenue from such tracks is linked to fraudulent activity.
Apple Music also confirmed that in 2025, it removed nearly 2 billion fake streams, preventing about $17 million, roughly ₹140 crore, in wrongful royalty payouts. While this is a small portion of total streams, the financial impact remains significant.
Experts say AI music tools have sharply reduced the cost and time needed to create content. Some platforms now allow users to generate millions of tracks daily, flooding streaming systems. Fraud networks take advantage of this by spreading low engagement across many tracks, making detection harder.
The report highlights a shift from older fraud methods. Earlier, fraudsters repeatedly streamed a few tracks, which was easier to detect. The new “low-volume, high-scale fraud system” spreads smaller plays across millions of tracks, making it appear more genuine.
In several cases, AI is also used for voice cloning and creating fake artist profiles, raising concerns about identity theft and revenue diversion.
Industry analysts warn that if this trend continues, up to 25% of artists’ income could be at risk by 2028, leading to losses worth billions.
Streaming platforms are now developing AI detection systems and tagging tools, but fraudsters continue to evolve new methods, creating an ongoing challenge. Experts say the crisis is driven by low-cost AI tools, open distribution systems, and weak enforcement, making it difficult to fully control.
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