Spotify to Label AI Artists and Remove Them From Recommendations Starting in September

Spotify is introducing labeling for musicians whose profiles are entirely generated by artificial intelligence, according to TechCrunch. Starting in September, such acts will receive an "AI Persona" badge displayed on the profile banner, in the "About the artist" section, in search results, and next to tracks in playlists.

The move is designed to separate virtual personas from live musicians who are losing streams due to competition from automatically produced content. Tracks from flagged profiles will not appear in editorial playlists or default algorithmic recommendations. They will also be excluded from personalized lists unless a user explicitly follows such an artist.

Artists can declare themselves as AI personas through the Spotify for Artists portal. However, the company says it will not rely solely on self-reported data. Profiles, especially those with large audiences, will be checked for the use of photorealistic images or AI-generated names. If an artist disagrees with the assigned label, they will have the right to appeal.

Spotify notes that the badge applies to the profile itself, not to individual tracks. In the coming months, the service will also roll out a tool that lets users report accounts they believe are artificial but have not yet been marked.

The step is part of Spotify's broader policy on artificial intelligence. The platform is simultaneously developing its own AI features — automated playlists and the AI DJ — while trying to shield users from an overflow of low-quality content. The company fears that an oversupply of AI-made music could degrade the user experience and even drive subscribers away.