Deezer ramps up fight against AI music fraud

In January 2026, Deezer received an average of 60 000 AI-generated tracks per day, representing approximately 39% of all daily music deliveries. While AI-generated music accounts for only 1–3% of total streams on the platform, the company reports that up to 85% of these streams were fraudulent in 2025, compared with 8% of all streams across its catalogue.

“Music generated entirely by AI has become nearly indistinguishable from human creation,” Deezer CEO Alexis Lanternier said. “Our approach remains clear: transparency for fans and protection of artists and songwriters. We detect and tag AI-generated music and remove it from algorithmic recommendations, so users can make informed choices while preventing fraud. Every fraudulent stream we detect is demonetised, ensuring royalties for human creators are protected.”

Since 2025, Deezer has tagged more than 13.4 million AI tracks and removed them from editorial playlists and recommendations. The company says its AI detection tool is capable of identifying content from major generative models such as Suno and Udio, and it has made strides in detecting synthetic content without the need for specific training datasets. Billboard also uses Deezer’s tagging system to identify AI-generated music for its charts.

Deezer has now begun licensing its AI detection technology to the wider music industry. Lanternier added: “We have already performed successful tests with industry leaders, including Sacem. By making our technology available more broadly, we aim to promote transparency and reduce incentives for AI-music fraud.”

The platform’s actions come amid concerns over AI’s impact on copyright and creators’ earnings. A study by CISAC and PMP Strategy projects that nearly 25% of creators’ revenues could be at risk by 2028, amounting to approximately €4 billion. Deezer has signed the global statement on AI training and maintains a commitment to protecting artists’ rights.

All AI-generated tracks detected by Deezer are removed from algorithmic recommendations and excluded from royalty payments. Deezer also applied for two patents in December 2024 for methods to distinguish synthetic content from authentic recordings.

As AI-generated music continues to expand across streaming platforms, Deezer positions itself as a leading advocate for transparency, artist protection, and fair compensation in the evolving music landscape.