Our playlists are becoming a playground for AI-generated music. And that's making us uneasy, especially because it's becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish the genuine, human-made tunes from the musical deepfakes.
According to a new survey of 9,000 people by the music service Deezer and the research firm Ipsos, participants listened to three songs and then had to choose which were fully AI-generated and which weren't. Nearly all respondents (97%) were unable to tell the difference.
Of those who couldn't tell, 71% said they were surprised by the results, and more than half, 52%, were uncomfortable that they couldn't distinguish the AI music. Respondents expressed ambivalence about AI and music: About two-thirds expressed curiosity about AI-generated music, with a willingness to try listening at least once, but four out of five (80%) agreed that AI music should be clearly labeled for listeners.
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Deezer, which commissioned the survey, has reason to highlight people's inability to distinguish between AI-generated songs and those created by humans. In January, it rolled out a detection tool for AI in music. In the release for the survey, the company said it receives 50,000 AI-generated tracks every day.
The unsettling feelings about AI and music have seen a crescendo in recent days as a tune from an AI-powered country act called Breaking Rust topped Billboard's country digital music charts. Last month, music streaming giant Spotify signed deals with Sony, Universal and Warner to develop AI music products.
Mixed feelings on AI music
Some of the other findings from the Deezer/Ipsos survey showed curiosity and caution in listeners' attitudes toward AI music:
46% think AI will help them discover music they like.
51% believe AI will lead to lower-quality, generic-sounding music on streaming platforms.
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