Key facts
- 44% of tracks uploaded to Deezer are AI-generated.
- 97% of listeners can't tell AI-generated from human-created music.
- Over half of listeners surveyed by Deezer care if art is made by AI.
- AI writing is often described as 'generic, obsequious and banal'.
- Academics are developing a 'human made' symbol for art.
Generative artificial intelligence is prompting a debate about the value placed on human-created art, with some suggesting a 'human premium' is emerging. While AI can produce content indistinguishable from human work, many consumers express a preference for art made by people.
Research from the music platform Deezer indicates that 44% of tracks uploaded are AI-generated, yet 97% of listeners cannot differentiate AI from human creations. Despite this, over half of those surveyed by Deezer stated they care about the origin of art and prefer human involvement.
Academics are exploring ways to label human-made art, akin to Fairtrade certifications, as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent. Journalist Kyle Chayka notes that AI writing is often perceived as generic, leading designers and writers to embrace more unusual and personal styles that AI struggles to replicate.
However, the increasing reliance on algorithmic curation for discovering culture, from music to books, raises concerns. The author notes that while technology has long influenced cultural tastes, the current algorithmic loop may be diminishing the role of human judgment and personal recommendation in shaping our cultural consumption.