Tidal has become the latest streaming platform to take a tougher stance on AI-generated music, but it is not going as far as an outright ban. Instead, the company says it will stop paying royalties on tracks it identifies as being 100 percent AI-generated, while also planning to start labeling those songs for listeners in July.
That makes Tidal’s move a notable middle ground. The platform is still allowing AI music onto the service, but it is drawing a clear financial line around what it sees as human-made work. In a new policy announcement cited by The Verge, Tidal says its priority is making sure royalties go to “original works directly produced, written, and performed by people,” and that it will therefore not knowingly attribute royalties to music it identifies as wholly AI-generated.
No Ban, But No Royalties Either
The policy shift has two clear parts. First, Tidal says that starting today, fully AI-generated tracks it identifies will no longer be monetizable. Second, beginning July 15, those tracks will also get an icon label on the platform so listeners can tell what they are hearing.
That means Tidal is trying to handle the AI music problem through both visibility and money. It is not removing all AI songs from the catalog, but it is cutting off a key incentive by making sure fully AI-generated tracks do not earn royalties through the normal system.
Tidal Wants to Go Beyond Full AI Tracks
What makes the policy more interesting is that Tidal says this may not stop at songs that are entirely machine-made. The Verge reports that the company plans to expand labeling to music that is “substantially AI-generated” as its tools improve and become more reliable. The company also says distributors should not leave the job of detection entirely to streaming platforms and that it will start enforcing expectations that distributors properly flag AI-generated uploads too.
That suggests Tidal sees this as the start of a broader system, not just a one-off rule for obvious AI tracks. It is also a sign that streaming platforms are under pressure to do more than quietly accept whatever gets uploaded.
Fraud, Spam, and the Bigger AI Music Problem
Tidal’s concerns are not just about whether a song was made with AI. The company also says it will remove or block AI-generated music tied to fraudulent activity, including music designed to deceive listeners, interfere with real artists, exploit someone’s music, name or likeness, or flood the service through high-volume uploads and unusual streaming behaviour.
That matters because the AI music problem is bigger than copyright alone. Streaming services are increasingly dealing with spam uploads, fake artists, synthetic imitation, and the possibility that low-cost AI tracks could clog discovery systems and siphon money away from human musicians. Tidal’s new rules suggest it sees those risks as serious enough to justify harder intervention.
Tidal Is Not Alone
The Verge notes that Tidal’s rivals have already been moving in a similar direction. Spotify recently launched a verification program where confirmed human artists can receive a “Verified by Spotify” badge, while profiles that primarily upload AI-generated music are not eligible. Deezer has also developed tools to detect fully AI-generated music during upload and has tried to reduce its visibility on the platform. Last month, Deezer even launched a website that lets users scan playlists on other streaming services for AI-generated tracks.
That tells you this is no longer just a niche issue. Major platforms are now trying to work out how to detect, label, limit and financially separate AI music from human-made music without completely banning it.
Why this matters for Australia
Australian artists and listeners use the same major streaming platforms as everyone else, so policy changes like this can shape what gets surfaced, what earns money, and how music is labelled here too.
It also sharpens the bigger local question: if AI-generated songs keep spreading across streaming services, how do platforms protect real artists without turning their catalogs into a flood of cheap, synthetic uploads? Tidal’s answer is not a full ban, but it is still a meaningful line in the sand.
The broader takeaway is simple: Tidal is telling the market that AI music may be allowed on the platform, but that does not mean it deserves the same treatment as music made by people.
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Source: The Verge
Interesting story indeed