Apple Music is reportedly taking a step toward greater transparency in the music industry by introducing a new system designed to disclose when artificial intelligence (AI) is used in music creation. According to a report by a famous publication, the streaming platform has launched what it calls “Transparency Tags,” enabling record labels and music distributors to identify where AI has been used in a song, its artwork, composition, or related videos.

The report states that Apple shared details of the new framework with industry partners through a newsletter circulated on March 4. The initiative aims to create clearer visibility around how AI tools are being integrated into music production and associated creative work.

How the Transparency Tags work

Apple Music’s new tagging system reportedly focuses on four major areas of music creation where AI could play a role: artwork, tracks, compositions, and music videos.

The Artwork tag is applied at the album level. It is used when artificial intelligence generates a significant portion of an album’s artwork, including both static images and motion graphics.

The Track tag operates at the individual song level. This tag indicates when AI has been responsible for generating part of the sound recording itself.

The Composition tag is applied when AI contributes to the musical structure of a piece, including writing lyrics or other elements of the composition.

Meanwhile, the Music Video tag is used for visual content associated with a track, whether it is released as part of an album or published separately as a standalone music video.

According to the report, labels and distributors are able to attach multiple tags to the same project if AI has been used in several aspects of the creative process. For example, a song could carry both a composition tag and a track tag if AI assisted with both the lyrics and sound production.

Responsibility lies with labels and distributors

The famous publication report notes that Apple’s approach places the responsibility for disclosure on record labels and distributors rather than the streaming service itself.

Citing Apple’s newsletter, the report explained that the tagging system functions similarly to other metadata categories used in music distribution, such as genre classification or artist credits.

Apple reportedly said it will rely on labels and distributors to determine whether AI has been used in a meaningful way when submitting music to the platform. Proper tagging, the company noted, could help the industry collect data on AI usage and shape future policies around the technology’s role in music creation.

How Apple’s approach compares to other platforms

Apple Music’s strategy differs from methods being explored by some competing streaming platforms.

For instance, Spotify introduced new measures in September aimed at addressing potential risks associated with generative AI in the music industry. These measures included stricter policies on voice cloning, a spam-detection system designed to identify suspicious uploads, and additional AI disclosure information in music credits.

Meanwhile, Deezer has been working on its own AI detection system that attempts to identify AI-generated music through technical analysis. Instead of relying on labels or distributors to disclose AI involvement, Deezer’s system analyses the audio itself to detect potential AI-generated elements.

Apple’s approach, however, relies on self-reporting by the companies that deliver music to the platform, marking a different path toward transparency in the rapidly evolving intersection of AI and music production.