Can You Determine if a Song was Created by AI? Check These Criteria
Advancements in technology have led to the creation of AI-generated music, sparking discussions about the authenticity of music produced by artificial intelligence. Platforms like Suno and Udio have made it easier for anyone to create songs with just a few prompts, blurring the lines between real and synthetic music in the industry.
For music enthusiasts intrigued by the idea of AI-generated music, there are ways to discern whether a song is produced by artificial intelligence. Conducting a background check on the artist or band behind a song can provide valuable clues. Social media presence, upcoming concerts, past performances, and record labels associated with the artist can all shed light on the origins of the music. Additionally, searching for the song on platforms like Suno or Udio where creators often publish their works can reveal whether a song is AI-generated.
Some music streaming services like Deezer have taken steps to label albums containing AI-generated songs to ensure transparency with listeners. By flagging tracks with an on-screen notification of “AI-generated content,” Deezer aims to inform users about the use of AI technology in certain songs. The company’s CEO mentions that up to 18% of songs uploaded to the platform daily are AI-generated, emphasizing the prevalence of this technology in the music industry.
Third-party services like IRCAM Amplify offer tools to determine whether a song is human-made or generated by AI. By uploading songs to these detectors, users can receive a probability score indicating the likelihood of AI involvement in the creation process. However, these tools may have limitations, such as the inability to analyze songs from streaming platforms directly, making it challenging to detect AI-generated songs in certain contexts.
Analyzing the lyrics of a song can also provide insights into whether it was created by AI. While some users prefer to write their own lyrics to avoid the perceived flaws in AI-generated lyrics, others may rely on AI to generate both music and lyrics. Certain patterns or recurring words in the lyrics, like “neon,” “shadows,” or “whispers,” can be indicative of AI involvement in the songwriting process.
Despite these methods, experts caution that distinguishing AI-generated music from human-made music solely based on listening can be challenging. As AI technology continues to evolve rapidly, identifying specific markers or characteristics in music that indicate AI involvement may become increasingly difficult. The dynamic nature of generative models like Suno and Udio means that traditional identifiers of AI-generated music may no longer be valid, underscoring the complexity of discerning the origins of music in the digital age.