Spotify Ejects Thousands of AI-made Songs in Purge of Fake Streams (arstechnica.com) 18
Spotify has removed tens of thousands of songs from artificial intelligence music start-up Boomy, ramping up policing of its platform amid complaints of fraud and clutter across streaming services. From a report: In recent months the music industry has been confronting the rise of AI-generated songs and, more broadly, the growing number of tracks inundating streaming platforms daily. Spotify, the largest audio streaming business, recently took down about 7 per cent of the tracks that had been uploaded by Boomy, the equivalent of "tens of thousands" of songs, according to a person familiar with the matter. Recording giant Universal Music had flagged to all the main streaming platforms that it saw suspicious streaming activity on Boomy tracks, according to another person close to the situation.
The Boomy songs were removed because of suspected "artificial streaming" -- online bots posing as human listeners to inflate the audience numbers for certain songs. AI has made this type of activity easier because it allows someone to instantly generate many music tracks, which can then be uploaded online and streamed. Boomy, which was launched two years ago, allows users to choose various styles or descriptors, such as "rap beats" or "rainy nights," to create a machine-generated track. Users can then release the music to streaming services, where they will generate royalty payments. California-based Boomy says its users have created more than 14mn songs.
The Boomy songs were removed because of suspected "artificial streaming" -- online bots posing as human listeners to inflate the audience numbers for certain songs. AI has made this type of activity easier because it allows someone to instantly generate many music tracks, which can then be uploaded online and streamed. Boomy, which was launched two years ago, allows users to choose various styles or descriptors, such as "rap beats" or "rainy nights," to create a machine-generated track. Users can then release the music to streaming services, where they will generate royalty payments. California-based Boomy says its users have created more than 14mn songs.
Cant have that (Score:2, Insightful)
Big players only it seems.
Re: big-biz bias (Score:1)
There's a startup idea: IittleGuyAI.tunes
If the tunes are catchy, people will come, not caring it's from a bot. Yes, some will care, can't please everyone. And don't be surprised if the fat cats sue you, it's what they do.
Re: (Score:2)
What I don't get about the story is, how do you "upload to Spotify"? I thought Spotify required you had a label.
Re:Cant have that (Score:4, Insightful)
Cant have the little guy make money off of AI. Big players only it seems.
The article says "The Boomy songs were removed because of suspected "artificial streaming" -- online bots posing as human listeners to inflate the audience numbers for certain songs"
Apparently the problem is AIs pretending to be listeners.
Re: (Score:2)
Why would you need an AI to pretend to be a listener? The traditional way is a load of cheap phones all streaming the same thing. How does AI improve on that?
Re: (Score:2)
Beats me.
I might guess that the service has some algorithm to detect fake listeners, and the AI circumvents that by more accurately emulating a crowd of real listeners, but I don't know enough really to do more than guess.
That's AIcist! (Score:3)
Re: (Score:1)
What about Mac reparations. Macs are replicants with feelings also. (Dang, the future's gonna get weird. Hope I live long enough to see replicants and the odd legal & political fights.)
Re: (Score:2)
That episode of star trek with the legal battle over whether Data has any rights might get weirdly prescient the way things have been going. These GPTs might not be sentient, but we're probably not TOO far off.
Re: (Score:1)
> These GPTs might not be sentient, but we're probably not TOO far off.
They are as sentient as my constantly drunk uncle.
Re: (Score:2)
I, for one, welcome our AI generated overlords!
post art (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Hopefully the music business will be hurt by this, but musicians are are going to make music regardless.
Re: post art (Score:3)
Music businesses will probably survive to be honest. Hell, they may even thrive with this tech as it means they can cut out paying musicians to begin with. They have the resources to better leverage this tech, including open-source solutions, coupled with their massive brand recognition and marketing.
The ones who will be hurt by this the most are the smaller, indie musicians as they lack the resources to market themselves. It was already hard enough to make a living due to how saturated the field was. Now i
at least there is an actual track (Score:2)
Meanwhile... (Score:3)
There is now a shortage of clothing due to a ban on mechanical weaving machines.
banned? I thought they were on strike (Score:1)
I heard the mechanical sewing machines were on a sympathy strike in support of higher wages for their robot script writer brethren.