The record label has nearly doubled its takedown requests since March as unauthorized AI songs copy major artists.
By the end of September, Sony Music asked streaming platforms to remove more than 260,000 AI-generated tracks that imitate its artists’ voices and likenesses without permission. The figure, reported by the Financial Times, is nearly double the 135,000 tracks flagged by the company by the end of March. The unauthorized deepfakes mimic major stars including Harry Styles, Adele, Britney Spears, Queen, and Michael Jackson.
Sony Music stated that the proliferation of AI deepfakes harms artists, misleads fans, and undermines ethical AI use while creating an “uphill struggle” for enforcement. To combat the issue and related streaming fraud, the label continues to request content takedowns while supporting industry efforts like the IFPI’s Streaming Integrity Initiative and the federal NO FAKES Act, which was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on June 18.
