Poll shows Americans divided over AI music as 97pc cannot tell when songs are fully computer-generated

WASHINGTON, Nov 23 — Americans are torn over the rise of AI in music, a new poll shows, highlighting a generational and political divide over how technology is reshaping the industry.

The Hollywood Reporter reported that an exclusive survey of 2,244 US adults conducted by Morning Consult in partnership with the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami found that while AI is flooding streaming platforms with thousands of songs daily, most listeners struggle to distinguish between human- and AI-created tracks.

About 97 percent of respondents said they could not tell when a song was fully AI-generated.

The poll also revealed that only just over half of Americans are willing to listen to AI music, even if produced by their favourite artist, and more than 66 percent have never knowingly listened to AI-generated tracks.

Still, roughly a third of the public said they were open to tunes from AI avatars of pop, rap, country or rock artists — a trend already appearing on Billboard charts.

The report further stated that the survey results showed sharp differences across age groups.

Gen Z respondents were the most receptive to music created entirely by AI, while Baby Boomers were more likely to insist that original artists should be paid if their work is mimicked.

Political affiliation appeared less influential, with 22 percent of Republicans and 18 percent of Democrats comfortable with AI-created music without human contribution.

The survey also highlighted concerns about intellectual property. About 62 percent of respondents said AI creators should seek permission from original artists when replicating their voices.

This comes as some high-profile musicians, including Paul McCartney, have openly criticised AI-generated music that mimics human performers.

“The reaction isn’t much different between 18-year-olds and 70-year-olds: some are very excited, some very frightened. There’s almost nobody ambivalent about it,” said Frost School of Music Dean Shelton “Shelly” Berg.

For many working artists, AI is reshaping how music is produced, performed and monetised. While the technology allows musicians to generate multiple song versions in minutes, some worry it could undermine the emotional and creative input that defines human music.

Many artists have described the current economics of the music industry as broken, and the rise of AI adds another layer of complexity to an already challenging landscape.