In mid-2025, Cedrik Sixtus found his Spotify playlists increasingly cluttered with tracks he suspected were created by artificial intelligence. Frustrated, the software developer built a tool to block AI-generated songs – only for Spotify to refuse to implement similar filtering itself.

The issue boils down to choice: listen to music made by algorithms or stick with human artists? Sixtus's tool has gained traction among Spotify users, but it risks violating the platform’s terms of service. Meanwhile, some users simply don't want AI-generated tracks in their feeds at all.

Spotify has taken some steps to address these concerns. In April 2025, it launched a test feature that shows how an artist used AI, though this voluntary system is far from comprehensive and faces challenges in industry-wide alignment.

The music world grapples with the rise of generative AI services like Suno and Udio, which can now produce polished songs within seconds. In one recent controlled test, 97% of listeners couldn't distinguish between AI-generated and human-made tracks. This blurring raises concerns about revenue for human artists if such tracks flood streaming platforms.

While Deezer has taken a stronger approach by tagging albums that contain AI-generated tracks, Spotify remains ambivalent towards labelling music based on its creation method. Critics argue that transparency is crucial, but as with Apple Music's recent moves, self-disclosure from artists may not be forthcoming due to potential stigma.