Last year, Deezer introduced an AI detection tool that automatically tags fully AI-generated music for listeners and removes it from its algorithms and editorial recommendations.
The company announced Thursday that the tool is now available on other streaming platforms in an effort to address the rise in AI and fraudulent streams, promote transparency within the music industry and ensure human artists still receive the recognition they deserve.
Alongside this move, Deezer reported that 85% of streams of tracks that are entirely AI-generated are considered fraudulent. In particular, the service currently receives 60,000 AI tracks per day, providing a total of 13.4 million AI-detected songs. On the other hand, in June of last year, fully AI-based music accounted for 18% of daily uploads, exceeding 20,000 tracks.
Deezer claims that its AI music detection tool can identify all AI-generated tracks from leading generation models such as Suno and Udio. In addition to excluding AI-generated tracks from recommendations, Deezer’s tool also places those tracks behind a paywall and excludes them from the royalty pool, with the goal of compensating musicians and songwriters fairly.
A company spokesperson told TechCrunch that the tool has an accuracy rate of 99.8%.
Deezer CEO Alexis Lanternier said there had been “huge interest” in the tool and several companies had “already conducted successful tests.” One such company is Sacem, a French management company that represents over 300,000 music creators and publishers, including David Guetta and DJ Snake.
The company did not provide pricing information or disclose which additional companies would be interested in adopting the tool. A spokesperson said costs vary depending on the type of transaction.
Tech Crunch Event
Boston, Massachusetts
|
June 23, 2026
There is growing concern about AI companies using copyrighted material to train their models, and how this is being used to manipulate streaming systems and commit fraud.
One of the cases of music streaming fraud occurred in 2024. A North Carolina musician has been charged by the Department of Justice (DOJ) with creating AI-generated songs and using bots to stream them billions of times, resulting in the theft of more than $10 million in streaming royalties. Additionally, AI bands like The Velvet Sundown have garnered millions of streams.
Bandcamp recently became so fed up with AI-generated music that it was banned outright, and Spotify updated its policies to address the rise in AI tracks, clarify when AI is used in music creation, reduce spam, and explicitly state that unauthorized audio duplication is banned from the platform.
In contrast, major record labels have settled lawsuits with Suno and Udio, appearing to embrace AI-generated music. Last fall, Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group signed a music catalog licensing deal with the AI startup, allowing artists and songwriters to receive compensation when their work is used to train AI models.
In recent years, Deezer has taken significant steps to address concerns about AI-generated music. In 2024, it became the first music streaming platform to sign a global statement on AI education, joining actors Kate McKinnon, Kevin Bacon, Kit Harington, Rosie O’Donnell and other notable creators.
Deezer’s recent decision to sell its detection tool will hopefully set a precedent for other music streaming platforms to take similar steps to protect human artists and combat fraud.
