Tidal will not pay royalties on music it detects as fully generated by artificial intelligence (AI), according to a policy published on 29 June, taking a harder line than many of its streaming rivals.
The policy states that Tidal will accept AI-generated music. “Artists should have the freedom to create with AI tools, and listeners should have the autonomy to choose the type of content they consume,” the company said. From mid-July, any track identified as “100% AI-generated” will be tagged as such.
Tidal also expects content distributors to flag AI-generated material before it reaches the platform. “The responsibility to identify and tag AI-generated content should not rest with Tidal alone,” the policy reads. “We expect, and will begin to enforce, that content distributors identify AI-generated content before it reaches our platform.”
Additionally, Tidal will block and remove AI tracks linked to fraudulent activity, defined as impersonating established human artists, high-volume uploads, or unusual streaming patterns. This matches the approach of other services.
Royalty payments halted for AI tracks
Where Tidal diverges is on monetization. “Starting today, AI-generated music will not be monetizable,” the company announced. It acknowledged an ongoing debate over whether AI music created from properly licensed models should earn royalties, but said its priority is to ensure royalties go to “original works directly produced, written, and performed by people.”
Tidal will not knowingly attribute royalties to music it identifies as wholly AI-generated. The company left open the possibility of future changes as detection methods improve.
Blurred lines and industry context
The definition of “wholly AI-generated” can be ambiguous, for example when a human writes lyrics and edits the output of an AI model. Tidal’s policy acknowledges this complexity but maintains a clear stance for now.
Tidal’s announcement adds to a series of public AI policy statements from streaming platforms, as the industry grapples with the rapid advancement of generative music tools. The company noted that its approach may need to adapt as the technology matures.
