Deezer, the major Paris-based music streaming service, is actively tackling the growing issue of AI-driven fraud on its platform. With a surge in AI-created music—now constituting about 18% of daily uploads—Deezer has implemented a system to identify and label AI-generated content, enhancing transparency for listeners and safeguarding its music catalog’s integrity. Although AI tracks account for roughly 0. 5% of total streams, Deezer is concerned that many plays are artificially inflated by bots used to manipulate streaming numbers and illegitimately obtain royalties, undermining fair artist compensation. A core challenge arises from the music upload process: artists cannot upload directly to platforms like Deezer or Spotify. Instead, authorized distributors and aggregators serve as intermediaries, using “self-service” tools that fraudsters exploit to mass-upload synthetic AI content. This makes distinguishing genuine artistic work from automated, profit-driven productions difficult. Deezer’s CEO, Alexis Lanternier, stresses that AI in music must be coupled with authentic human creativity. He condemns fully automated productions aimed solely at fraudulent profit, noting they degrade listener experience and harm deserving artists and rights holders. To combat this, Deezer has introduced explicit tagging for AI-generated albums and tracks, informing users about synthetic content.

The company also enforces a strict policy denying royalties to AI tracks involved in streaming manipulation schemes, demonstrating its commitment to protecting legitimate artists and ensuring fair royalty distribution. This effort comes amid wider legal and ethical debates over AI in music. Platforms like Suno and Udio face lawsuits for alleged copyright violations, spotlighting challenges related to intellectual property and platform accountability. Deezer uses advanced AI tools to continuously detect synthetic tracks and updates its algorithms to adapt to evolving AI music creation tactics. In leveraging AI to fight AI-generated fraud, Deezer aims to foster an authentic streaming ecosystem and curb exploitative practices. In summary, Deezer’s proactive approach addresses the complex intersection of technology and ethics in music streaming. As AI advances, streaming services must balance nurturing creativity with protecting human artists’ rights and incomes. Deezer’s combined strategy of detection, transparency, and enforcement offers a model for maintaining a fair, vibrant creative environment amid the rise of AI-generated music.