In brief
Sony Music has identified and requested the removal of more than 135,000 fraudulent songs generated with AI that impersonate its artists, including prominent figures like Beyoncé and Harry Styles. This alarming trend of deepfakes is not only generating revenue for fraudsters but also poses a threat to the reputation and financial success of authentic artists, especially during promotional campaigns for new releases. The rise of generative AI technology has made it easier for such counterfeits to proliferate, prompting calls for better regulation and labeling in the music industry.
Music giant Sony Music says it has requested the removal of more than 135,000 songs by fraudsters impersonating its artists on streaming services.
The so-called deepfakes were created using generative AI, targeting some of the company's prominent acts, including Beyoncé, Queen, and Harry Styles.
The proliferation of such counterfeits causes direct commercial harm to legitimate recording artists, Sony stated, deliberately targeting musicians who are promoting new albums.
In the worst cases, [the deepfakes] potentially damage a release campaign or tarnish the reputation of an artist, said Dennis Kooker, president of Sony's global digital business.
The company notes that the number of songs generated in this fashion is increasing as AI technology becomes more accessible. They believe the 135,000 tracks identified so far represent only a fraction of the total uploaded to streaming services.
Since early last March, around 60,000 songs falsely claiming to feature artists from Sony's roster have been discovered. Other affected musicians include Bad Bunny, Miley Cyrus, and Mark Ronson.
The problem with deepfakes is that they are a demand-driven event, Kooker explained. They exploit the momentum created by artists promoting their music, detracting from the artists’ true accomplishments.
Industry Revenues Grow
This revelation coincided with the launch of the music industry's Global Music Report, where figures from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) showed recorded music revenues grew by 6.4% last year, reaching $31.7 billion (£23.8 billion).
It marked the 11th consecutive year of growth, as streaming subscriptions revived the industry post-piracy.
Additionally, the UK remains the world's third-largest music market, with China surpassing Germany as the fourth largest.
Amid these challenges, the IFPI emphasized calls for better regulation of AI in music creation as the technology becomes increasingly powerful.
Kooker indicated that some services, like Deezer, are already implementing software that can identify AI-generated content, highlighting the need for transparency within the industry.
Without proper identification, fans can't distinguish genuine human creativity from unauthorized, AI-generated content, risking confusion and undermining trust, Kooker stated.
The music community urges that transparency is essential for sustaining a fair ecosystem.
