ARIA welcomes global music industry’s new standard for AI labelling in recordings

The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) has today welcomed a new labelling system introduced by the global music community. The system is designed to give fans clearer information about the use of generative AI in sound recordings and was announced by IFPI alongside the RIAA, A2IM, WIN, IMPALA, The Grammys, SAG-AFTRA and the Human Artistry Campaign.

ARIA CEO, Annabelle Herd, said: "Australian music fans, like fans everywhere, deserve to know how the music they love has been made. This is a practical, proactive step by the global music community to give them that clarity.

"Human artistry and authenticity are integral to what makes music so powerful. As artists find new ways to use these tools, and as fully AI-generated tracks arrive on streaming services in growing numbers, honest labelling helps listeners make informed choices and keeps human creativity at the centre of our industry. We welcome IFPI and its partners bringing the world's creators and companies together behind a single, clear standard.

"AI labelling is one of several conversations regarding how AI is reshaping the creative industries, they all require careful and rigorous consideration to find amicable solutions. Thae complexity of this environment underpins exactly why maintaining the current systems that function to protect artists, like copyright, is so critical. Copyright protects the most basic rights a creator has: to consent to how their work is used, and to be compensated for it, including when that work is used to train AI models. Clear labelling gives fans transparency; a working copyright system gives creators the consent and payment they are owed."

The system introduces two track-level labels. "AI-Generated" applies where generative AI produced the entirety or the primary creative elements of a recording, such as a lead vocal, a key instrumental performance, or an entirely prompt-generated track. "AI-Assisted" applies where a recording was created substantially by humans, who performed the lead vocal and primary instruments, with generative AI used for some expressive elements.

The labels use simple visual icons, supported by metadata and related delivery systems, so fans can see at a glance whether and how AI was involved in a track.

The labelling system will be available for use in the near future and applies to the use of generative AI in sound recordings. They do not currently cover lyrics, composition, music videos or cover art.

More information on the labelling system is available on the IFPI website.