Tidal AI-generated music monetisation policy outlines enforcement actions

Under the Tidal AI-generated music monetisation policy, Tidal will not remove AI-generated music but from 29 June it will cease monetising releases identified as wholly AI-generated, which will no longer earn royalties or be eligible for direct-to-fan sales on the platform. The company says royalties will be allocated to original works that are directly produced, written, and performed by people. Tidal will continue to accept AI-generated releases that comply with its content standards and distribution agreements.

Beginning in mid-July, tracks identified as 100% AI-generated will receive a dedicated label, with broader tagging planned as AI-detection improves. The platform will crack down on uploads it deems fraudulent — including content that impersonates artists, deceives listeners, manipulates streaming activity, or floods the service with mass-produced releases — and such uploads may be blocked or removed. The policy covers Tidal Upload submissions and other distribution routes when those releases meet the criteria for tagging or enforcement.

From 29 June, Tidal will cease monetising music it identifies as wholly AI-generated; those releases will no longer earn royalties and will not be eligible for direct-to-fan sales on the platform. The service will continue to accept AI-generated releases when they meet its content standards and distribution agreements, but the company has drawn a clear distinction between allowing such content on the service and providing financial compensation for it. The policy change is limited to monetisation status and sales eligibility for releases identified as wholly machine-made, and it takes effect on the stated date.

If a Tidal Upload release is classified as wholly AI-generated, the release will be allowed on the platform but it will not be monetised, it will not be eligible for direct-to-fan sales, and it will be tagged to indicate its AI origin. Tidal has also stated it will take enforcement action against uploads it identifies as fraudulent, naming specific concerns such as impersonation of artists, deception of listeners, manipulation of streaming activity, and mass-produced releases intended to flood the service. The company has said that uploads falling into those fraudulent categories may be blocked or removed as part of its enforcement measures.

Beginning in mid-July, Tidal will apply a dedicated label to tracks it identifies as 100% AI-generated, and it has indicated plans to expand tagging to content that is substantially AI-generated as detection capabilities improve. The platform has framed royalty allocation so that payments will go to original works that are directly produced, written, and performed by people, rather than being attributed to music identified as wholly AI-generated. The policy discussion referenced a high-profile example of AI-driven music activity and noted the existence of tools from other services that detect AI-created music across multiple platforms.

Tidal’s priority is ensuring royalties go to original works directly produced, written, and performed by people. We will therefore not knowingly attribute royalties to music we identify as wholly AI-generated.

From 29 June, music identified as “wholly AI-generated” will no longer earn royalties or be eligible for direct-to-fan sales on Tidal. If a Tidal Upload release is classified as wholly AI-generated, it will be allowed on the platform but it will not be monetised, it will not be eligible for direct-to-fan sales, and it will be tagged to indicate its AI origin.

Beginning in mid-July, tracks identified as 100% AI-generated will receive a dedicated label, and the company has indicated it will expand this tag to content that is substantially AI-generated as detection improves. The platform has set out enforcement priorities that include not tolerating AI-generated music that “exploits an individual’s or group’s music, name or likeness, deceives listeners, or diminishes the quality of our service.” Uploads the company identifies as fraudulent — including those that impersonate artists, mislead listeners, manipulate streaming activity, or flood the service with mass-produced releases — may be blocked or removed.

Tidal will begin applying a dedicated label to tracks it identifies as 100% AI-generated starting in mid-July. The company stated “we will expand this tag to content that is substantially AI-generated,” and it has described this initial label as the first step in a broader tagging approach that will evolve as AI-detection capabilities improve.

The policy framework sets out tagging as a mechanism to identify machine-generated releases, with the company indicating plans to widen the scope of labels once detection methods are more robust. The dedicated label for fully AI-generated tracks is therefore the immediate action Tidal will take on labelling.

The announcement places tagging and detection at the centre of the company’s operational response to AI content and notes the expectation that labels will be extended as technical identification improves. Other services have released tools targeting AI detection; for example, Deezer launched a free online AI music detector that is compatible with 20 platforms.

Tidal has linked its tagging rollout to ongoing improvements in detection, signalling that label coverage will broaden alongside advances in identification technology. The company’s statements frame the labelling programme as incremental and tied to detection capability.

Tidal said it will crack down on uploads it describes as “fraudulent” that impersonate artists, mislead listeners, manipulate streaming activity, or flood the platform with mass-produced releases. The company stated, “We will not tolerate AI-generated music that exploits an individual’s or group’s music, name or likeness, deceives listeners, or diminishes the quality of our service.” It said uploads that meet those fraudulent criteria may be blocked or removed as part of enforcement measures. The policy covers Tidal Upload submissions and other distribution routes when those releases meet the criteria for tagging or enforcement.

If a Tidal Upload release is classified as wholly AI-generated, the release will be allowed on the platform but it will not be monetised, it will not be eligible for direct-to-fan sales, and it will be tagged to indicate its AI origin. The company linked tagging to enforcement by stating it will apply a dedicated label to tracks identified as 100% AI-generated from mid-July and will expand tagging as detection improves. Tidal indicated that blocking or removal is a possible response for uploads it identifies as fraudulent, alongside the non-monetisation and tagging of wholly AI-generated submissions. The statement places these measures together as components of the platform’s approach to problematic AI-made releases.

Tidal frames its policy as allowing AI-generated music on the platform while removing monetisation for music it identifies as wholly machine-made. Tidal’s priority is ensuring royalties go to original works directly produced, written, and performed by people. “Starting today, AI-generated music will not be monetisable.” From 29 June, music identified as “wholly AI-generated” will no longer earn royalties and will not be eligible for direct-to-fan sales on Tidal.

The company said it will continue to accept AI-generated releases that comply with its content standards and distribution agreements, and it will apply a dedicated label to tracks identified as 100% AI-generated beginning in mid-July. The company stated it will expand this tag to content that is substantially AI-generated as detection capabilities improve, and it said uploads it identifies as fraudulent — including those that impersonate artists, deceive listeners, manipulate streaming activity, or flood the platform with mass-produced releases — may be blocked or removed. The policy links non-monetisation, labelling, and enforcement to the company’s stated priority of directing royalties to original works by people.