Tidal Won’t Monetize AI-Generated Content, Says Distributors Should Also Be Held Accountable

Tidal will not monetize AI-generated content and said that distributors are responsible for identifying AI-generated music before uploading it to the platform, the company announced on Monday (June 29).

“The responsibility to identify and tag AI-generated content should not rest with Tidal alone,” the statement reads. “We expect — and will begin to enforce — that content distributors identify AI-generated content before it reaches our platform.”

The streaming platform also said it will begin identifying and tagging AI-generated music starting in mid-July. At first, it will tag songs that are identified as 100% AI-generated, but as “AI-detection methods become more reliable,” it will “expand” the tag to music “that is substantially AI-generated.”

Notably, the platform will not entirely ban songs created with AI, allowing them to be uploaded as long as they are properly identified and follow the new standards.

“Tidal’s priority is ensuring royalties go to original works directly produced, written and performed by people,” the statement reads. “We will therefore not knowingly attribute royalties to music we identify as wholly AI-generated.”

Also starting in mid-July, music that was created via AI and steals from another creator’s work will be blocked or removed from the platform. “We will not tolerate AI-generated music that exploits an individual’s or group’s music, name or likeness, deceives listeners, or diminishes the quality of our service,” the statement reads.

According to the statement, independent artists who upload music to Tidal will be held to the same standard.

Tidal is just the latest platform to release an AI policy as streaming platforms learn to manage such content. Last month, Spotify announced a licensing deal with Universal Music Group (UMG) that enables it to launch generative AI music models in the future. These models will allow users to create covers and remixes of songs by participating UMG artists and songwriters.

In January, Bandcamp became the first major streaming platform to entirely ban AI-generated songs. iHeartRadio has also banned AI songs from its radio stations.