With the dazzling ascent of artificial intelligence, the music industry is at a new turning point in its existence. Every day, Deezer sees nearly 10,000 new songs generated by AI , almost 10 % of its catalog. A constant increased figure that questions: what do we put in the ears of listeners and how to compensate artists who feel injured in the face of this surge of content generated by artificial intelligence?
For Aurélien Hérault , Chief Innovation Officer at Deezer, the answer cannot be left at random. Saturation of the catalog, low-quality content, fraud to streams, ecological impact, remuneration of "real artists": here are some of the problems posed by this phenomenon. And to face it, the platform has decided to take action!
AI, between creative potential and threat to industry
If AI can be considered as a tool among others that artists can be used to give birth to their projects, it can become a real problem as soon as it is diverted for massive and automated production purposes . Pieces without identifiable human author, duplicate titles, "false artists", and fraudulent behaviors doped by tools for optimizing recommendation systems: the impact of the phenomenon is real on the visibility and remuneration of "authentic" artists . To this proliferation of content generated by AI, Deezer opposes a clear and without detours strategy: identifying, supervising and raising awareness.
Since December 2024, Deezer has deployed a House for IA content detection system . Fruit of a year and a half of research, this system is capable of detecting artifacts inaudible for the human ear, but perfectly identifiable by the machines. Once the song is spotted, it is tagged like AI. It remains listening, but is excluded from recommendation systems.
With an accuracy rate of 99.8 % for the most popular models , the platform concentrates its efforts on the most massive uses, without trying to demonize AI: these are the abuses that the fight platform, and not its use strictly speaking. As Aurélien Hérault points out, technology is already integrated into many tools used by musicians and producers.
Research, transparency and consortium
For Deezer, the fight against IA content and handling attempts also involves R&D. His internal research laboratory has been working on the subject for more than ten years based on machine learning, regularly deposits patents, and even plans to share part of his technologies with other actors. The French platform was also the first to sign the World Declaration on IA training , militant for an opt-in/opt-out model more transparent.
In addition, faced with American and Chinese behemoths, Deezer relies on European excellence with partners like Kyutai , and campaigns for the implementation of an international consortium. Without a common framework, it is difficult to enforce virtuous principles.
“It is important that we know that we have a community of researchers and scientists very strong in France and in Europe, and many who find themselves in China and the United States. We must rely on this fabulous opportunity, to be able to choose all the elements and all the tools to define what we want to do, we, as a French, as a European, of technology, of its use, of its development, of its regulation ... We have the choice and I think that it is good that French or European actors take the floor and say: we want to build a model that belongs to us. »»
Artist Centric, a more equitable distribution model
Concretely, the model today carried by the French musical streaming giant redirects income to professional artists, identified by activity criteria: at least 1,000 listening by 500 unique monthly users . These same artists benefit from a double boost of visibility. One way, among other levers used by Deezer, to make the handling strategies less profitable.
The remuneration of artists at the heart of the debates
Music streaming platforms are mostly very discreet about the remuneration of the beneficiaries, each having negotiated on his behalf. Deezer's transparency effort is a first. Just after these statements, Qobuz , a platform also French, marked the spirits by sharing its rate of redistribution by Stream , which is 5 times higher than the average.
To put into perspective, if a song reaches 1,000 listening to Qobuz, it generates $ 18.73 for these beneficiaries, who then pay the artists, authors-composers and composers in accordance with their contractual agreements. We can greet this transparency, in an industry that often lacks sorely.
It is the first company to officially publish its redistribution rate, even if estimates are regularly calculated. Duetti had proposed an estimate at the end of 2024 which had not failed to react.
User Centric, Superfans model ... Other remuneration models for artists
For Aurélien Hérault, the Artist Centric is a first step in the change of paradigm pursued by Deezer . Ser Centric model , focused on individual behavior of platform users. The recent development of the “superfall” segment, a new Eldorado of actors in the music industry, is also another important level in this long process towards a more equitable model for artists and users.
And the labels are aware of it! In 2024, Robert Kyncl, CEO of Warner, said:
"Artists and Superfans want deeper relationships: it is a relatively unexploited and under-monetized area".
For industry and artists, the commitment of (super) fans, possibly resembles an Eldorado. And another business model that relegates streaming platforms on the rear seat.
Pending the emergence of disruptive actors, Deezer continues to innovate to match technology and respect for artists, with 70 recommendation systems tested each year .
The AI is there to settle, but it can be better supervised. Everyone must still agree to play the same score. And this may be one of the biggest challenges in the platform: managing to put all the actors in the agreement around a unique model!
Rather than embarking on a very uncertain witch hunt, Deezer has chosen to supervise the use of an essential technology and restore value to artists in the flesh. By focusing on transparency and promoting new distribution methods, the French platform hopes to inspire other players in the musical sector, and why not beyond. A daring bet, but undoubtedly necessary for human creation to continue to resonate for a long time in our speakers and in our helmets!
The PIX festival brings together the ICC ecosystem
Aurélien Hérault was invited in April 2025 as part of the Pix festival organized by the Plaine Images. Pix was born from the desire to make the actors of the cult and creative industries of the Hauts-de-France territory shine.
At the same time, meetings between actors in the creative industries sector, Pix is also an inspiration for professionals "by the way" wanting to seize good ideas, methodos, creativity and innovations produced within ICC.
Find more information on the festival website.
The full replay of our conference, soon available on our YouTube channel.
