TIDAL BLOCKS AI-GENERATED MUSIC ROYALTIES

Tidal introduced its AI music policy today, taking a middle ground between outright bans and unrestricted monetization. The streaming service will not compensate artists for wholly AI-generated tracks, citing its priority to ensure royalties reach original human creators. Tracks identified as 100 percent AI-generated became non-monetizable today. Beginning July 15th, Tidal will display a distinct icon on these tracks to inform listeners of their origin. The platform also removes music that impersonates real artists using AI. This targets deepfake vocals and synthetic imitations of established performers. Tidal's approach acknowledges AI-generated music's presence while protecting human creators financially. The labeling system provides transparency without eliminating AI content entirely, allowing listeners to make informed choices about what they consume. The policy reflects broader industry tension around AI music generation as major labels and artists debate copyright protections and fair compensation in the generative AI era.