Spotify is introducing a new transparency feature that will help listeners identify artist profiles that may have been generated using artificial intelligence (AI). The AI Persona badge is expected to appear on some profiles from mid-September.
The badge will indicate when an “artist’s identity may be AI-generated and does not represent a real person”. Spotify said the move is aimed at giving users “more transparency” about the content they hear.
The decision follows feedback from music listeners who said they were uncomfortable discovering that profiles appearing to represent real people were actually AI-generated.
The use of AI-generated music has become an increasing concern among musicians and fans. Musician Alex Winn called the new feature a “really good thing”, saying it could distinguish artists who create music themselves from those relying on AI.
“It almost separates the people who have created music properly from the people just using AI,” said Winn, a guitarist with North East band Swindled.
Winn believes listeners want to “connect emotionally with music” and that “AI can’t really do that”. The 19-year-old also said clear labelling would help listeners make informed choices and could direct attention towards other artists.
“Bands are finding it hard to compete no matter what, nevermind with some AI bands taking over,” he said.
Music fan Leon Keenan said AI-generated music should not necessarily be removed from Spotify but agreed that clear labelling is a “really good” idea.
“I definitely don’t like AI music, it’s really bad, music is about the passion,” the 20-year-old said.
Ellie Sumner, 21, also welcomed the feature after previously failing to recognise AI-generated content. “It’s very easy to be like ‘AI is so obvious’ and maybe look down on my parents and grandparents falling for it, but I’ve definitely fallen for AI before,” she said.
“It’s sad that we have to label it, but also quite necessary.”
Spotify said “true artist-fan connection can only be built on a foundation of trust and authenticity”. The badge will appear on artist profile banners and in the about section, as well as alongside profiles in search results and tracks in playlists.
Artists carrying the badge will not appear in personalised recommendations unless a user already follows them.
Spotify clarified that the badge will focus on an artist’s “public identity” rather than “how the music was made”. This distinction recognises that human musicians also use AI tools during music creation.
Musicians can currently disclose the AI tools used in their tracks through Spotify’s AI Credits feature. The platform receives tens of thousands of such submissions each day.
Spotify expects AI-generated profiles to disclose their identity voluntarily but will also review accounts that appear to meet its criteria. Profiles labelled by Spotify will have the opportunity to self-disclose or appeal the decision.
The badge will also indicate whether an artist disclosed their AI identity or was identified following a Spotify review.
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