TIDAL TO CRACKDOWN ON AI GENERATION, WELL KINDA.

Tidal's new policy, effective July 15, demonetises any music identified as 100 per cent AI-generated. The company will tag those tracks with an AI badge and withhold royalties. Tidal said in its policy statement, "We will therefore not knowingly attribute royalties to music we identify as wholly AI-generated". The company said, "Tidal's priority is ensuring royalties go to original works directly produced, written, and performed by people".

BUT THE POLICY GOES FURTHER

Tidal will also use automated tools to remove AI-generated music that "exploits an individual's or group's music, name or likeness, deceives listeners, or diminishes the quality of our service". And starting now, the service is holding AI content to "a higher standard of content integrity", a phrase that leaves room to interpret what that means in practice.

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Over time, Tidal plans to expand the AI tag to music that is once detection tools improve "substantially AI-generated". The policy is a living document, open to changes.

THE FLOODDATES OPENING

The move comes as streaming services grapple with a deluge of AI-generated songs. Deezer reported that 44 per cent of all new music uploaded to its platform daily is AI-generated. That figure alone explains why Tidal and its competitors are acting. Deezer demonetises most AI tracks, removes them from recommendations and editorial playlists, and even offers its detection technology to rivals. Spotify has also revamped its policies, introducing a badge that is not eligible for AI-generated music. Apple Music took the tagging approach.

Tidal's policy stands out for its explicit line against any royalties for fully AI works. It is the most aggressive stance from a major streaming platform so far.

THERE IS A LINE IN THE SAND

Tony Gervino, who announced the policy, directly addressed the human stakes. Gervino said, "We are committed to protecting and rewarding organic creativity to avoid compromising an artist’s ability to connect with and build their fandom from TIDAL subscribers. Many have told us they do not want to be exposed to — or prompted to listen to — wholly AI-generated music," he added, "Regardless of what you are reading elsewhere, AI’s takeover of the music industry (and your recommendations) isn’t inevitable if we take even greater steps now to monitor and control it,".

That last line is a direct challenge to the narrative that AI-generated music is inevitable. Tidal is betting that listeners want a higher signal-to-noise ratio, even if it means fewer tracks in the catalogue.

WHAT TIDAL WON'T DO

Whether Tidal's approach works depends on detection accuracy. The policy currently applies only to 100 per cent AI works, a narrow window. Most AI-assisted music (human plus AI) is untouched. As detection improves, the tag could catch more, but that also risks false positives. Tidal's small subscriber base compared to Spotify means the policy is more symbolic than market-moving. But by entirely cutting off royalties for synthetic music, it sets a precedent.

It remains on the platform, tagged, but unable to earn. That approach tests whether demonetization slows the deluge. If artists see no financial incentive to upload AI slop, the upload volume might drop. But the damage to human artists from diluted recommendation pools and scam tracks may already be done.

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The policy takes effect July 15. Tidal is betting that human-made music is worth protecting, even if it means a smaller catalogue. That is a bet worth watching, and one the rest of the industry will be watching too.