Spotify to label AI artists, ban them from recommendations

Spotify ↗ 0.52% announced on Tuesday that it will begin labeling AI-generated artist profiles with a new "AI Persona" badge and exclude their music from algorithmic and editorial recommendations by default, the company's most aggressive move yet to combat the flood of artificial intelligence content on its platform.

The badges will start appearing on mobile in mid-September across artist profiles, search results, and track rows in playlists. Starting August 11, artists can voluntarily disclose their AI status through Spotify for Artists, but the company said it will not rely on self-reporting alone.techcrunch+3

"Listeners have been clear in telling us that they don't like seeing an artist profile that seems human, only to find out that the persona is AI-generated," the company said in its announcement.variety

How Spotify Will Identify AI Artists

Spotify said it will use a combination of human reviewers and AI-powered tools to examine artist profiles whose names and imagery "appear to represent photorealistic AI-generated identities," beginning with accounts that have crossed defined audience thresholds. Profiles flagged by Spotify's review team will receive a "Likely AI Persona" tag, and artists will be notified and given the opportunity to self-disclose or appeal.theverge+3

Every Spotify-applied badge will be reviewed by a human before it goes live, according to the company. In the coming months, Spotify also plans to let listeners report profiles they suspect are AI-generated.deadline+2

Identity, Not Music

Spotify emphasized that the badge targets an artist's public identity rather than how the music itself was made. "Although there's a broad spectrum in how artists use AI as a creative tool, the question of whether a profile represents an actual human is one where Spotify can help make a clear determination," the company said.techcrunch

Other Spotify features, including AI Credits and SongDNA, continue to provide information about AI use in music production. The approach contrasts with rival Deezer, which tags AI-generated tracks directly and recently revealed that AI-made songs now account for half of its daily uploads.techradar+2

Industry Pressure Mounts

The announcement arrives amid growing industry efforts to rein in AI music. In July, the RIAA, IFPI, and other organizations proposed standardized labeling for AI-generated and AI-assisted songs, while major labels including Universal Music Group ↗ 1.04%, Warner Music Group ↘ 0.66%, and Sony Music pushed chart organizers to disqualify AI slop from rankings. Spotify itself removed more than 75 million "spammy" tracks in the year prior to September 2025.deadline+1

Even as it clamps down on AI artists, Spotify continues to integrate the technology into its own products, including AI-powered playlists, an AI DJ, and forthcoming AI remix features enabled by licensing deals with UMG and Merlin.variety+1