Qobuz Joins Crackdown On AI Music

Qobuz has announced that it has taken steps to keep its content human. This is great for all the people out there creating art and those seeking it out.

This latest news joins Bandcamp’s pledge at the start of this year and, hopefully, is the start of a movement safeguarding writers, musicians and lovers of art created with heart.

AI 'band' Velvet Sundown can be found on Spotify

Even Spotify has U-turned after its founder, Daniel Ek, originally said he would not ban AI from the platform. Recently, Spotify announced that it had strengthened its AI protections. That said, the platform still appears to be having issues, as it has been reported that AI tracks continue to flood it and are being pushed to subscribers.

Following the publication of its AI Charter earlier this month, Qobuz is announcing a proprietary AI detection system that will identify and tag AI-created tracks across both new releases and its existing catalogue. These tags will be visible across all Qobuz applications in the coming months.

Qobuz already employs tools to detect fraudulent uploads and, we’re told, will continue to develop and refine these systems as technological and regulatory developments evolve.

The challenge of AI-generated content continues to grow, as does the need to safeguard artists’ livelihoods. According to a 2024 CISAC study, by 2028, music creators could lose around €10 billion over five years - up to 24% of their revenue - due to AI-generated content.

Meanwhile, generative AI in music is projected to earn roughly €4 billion annually from unlicensed use of creators’ works, representing a direct transfer of economic value from human artists to AI companies. At stake are the value of human creativity, the transparency of streaming ecosystems, and artists’ livelihoods.

Georges Fornay, Deputy CEO of Qobuz, told StereoNET:

The hyperinflation of AI-generated content is creating distrust across the music industry. At Qobuz, music discovery remains guided by human passion, not algorithms optimised for volume. These new measures reinforce our commitment to guaranteeing fair artists’ visibility and compensation, giving listeners confidence that humans remain in control.

Qobuz has always maintained its human editorial selection with all recommendations – Qobuzissimes, Albums of the Week, playlists – being chosen by human teams, effectively excluding industrially generated AI content from prominent areas of the platform.

Moreover, the Discover page relies on data curated by Qobuz editorial teams and trusted partners, excluding AI-generated tracks to ensure visibility and compensation for real artists.

The Qobuz AI Charter is available here: https://community.qobuz.com/ai-charter.

For more information visit Qobuz