YouTube Adds “Made with AI” Labels to AI-Generated Music, Starting on YouTube Music

According to YouTube, the label applies to music “primarily” created by generative AI. Examples include using a generative model to create a song’s composition and vocals. Tracks where AI was used only minimally may not receive a label. The label appears on the player page, and tapping or clicking it opens more information about AI’s specific role in the track’s creation, according to TechCrunch and Android Authority.

YouTube said it collaborated with music partners and deployed its own detection tools to identify AI-generated music. According to TechCrunch, YouTube’s help page gives partners three designations: “Fully Gen AI,” “Partly Gen AI,” or “No Gen AI.” “Fully Gen AI” applies to tracks entirely generated by AI, while “Partly Gen AI” covers works where artists incorporated AI-generated components but added their own live elements. Tracks edited with pitch-correction tools such as Auto-Tune fall under “No Gen AI.” The Verge reported that YouTube’s rules for music partners say that if there is no disclosure, YouTube may use “other signals” to decide whether a song is AI-generated.

YouTube is focusing on disclosure rather than blanket restrictions. TechCrunch reported that AI involvement alone does not make a track ineligible for monetization. YouTube also experiments with AI-powered music creation, including its tool Dream Track, which lets select creators generate soundtracks featuring AI-generated versions of participating artists’ voices.

Other music platforms have taken different approaches. Spotify launched a voluntary AI label earlier this year and said it would not recommend songs from “AI personas,” The Verge reported. Apple Music is also reportedly getting an AI tag, and TechCrunch reported that Apple Music plans to introduce “Made With AI” labels as part of its AI Transparency Tags later this year.

Deezer has taken one of the stricter stances. TechCrunch reported that in July Deezer said it was receiving nearly 90,000 fully AI-generated tracks daily. The platform labels detected AI-generated music and excludes it from algorithmic recommendations and editorial playlists, while withholding royalties from fraudulent streams. The Verge reported that Deezer added a switch for filtering out AI tracks, while TechCrunch reported the company was working on an option to let users filter out AI-generated music.

TIDAL also labels recordings it identifies as entirely AI-generated, allows listeners to disable them, and excludes those recordings from royalty attribution, according to TechCrunch. The Verge reported that Bandcamp banned AI music outright earlier this year. Android Authority reported that YouTube Music is testing a new album art design for a small number of users, a separate change from the widely available AI labels.

The YouTube Music labels are rolling out starting Wednesday, with the main YouTube app to follow later. For now, the system relies on partner disclosure and detection tools, and the label is meant to inform listeners about AI’s role rather than remove or demonetize AI-assisted tracks.