A coalition of major music-industry bodies — including IFPI, the RIAA, independent-label groups A2IM, WIN and IMPALA, The Grammys, SAG-AFTRA and the Human Artistry Campaign — has announced plans to create a standardised system for tagging AI-generated songs on streaming services. The proposal, likened to the existing "explicit" content label, would introduce two tags: "AI-generated" for tracks whose key instrumentals, lead vocals or entire creation stem from AI, and "AI-assisted" for tracks that use AI in parts while humans still perform the lead vocals and instrumentals. The move matters because it aims to give listeners clear, industry-wide transparency about how AI has been used in the music they hear, amid growing concern over authenticity and human artistry.

The initiative responds to fears that AI-generated tracks are eroding the royalty pool intended for human artists and rights holders; a recent Deezer report found that 44% of all daily uploads are now fully AI-generated. The major labels' lawsuit against AI firms Suno and Udio voiced similar worries about machine-generated content "drowning out" genuine recordings. The labels, which a press release says will arrive in the "near future", follow earlier steps by individual platforms: Deezer began auto-tagging AI recordings in 2025, Spotify and Apple Music introduced voluntary disclosure systems in 2026, and Tidal in June began requiring distributors to flag AI content before upload. Industry figures, including Apple Music's Oliver Schusser and DIMA's Graham Davis, stress that responsibility for accurate AI metadata must be shared across creators, labels, distributors and streaming services, working with standards bodies such as DDEX.