By late 2025, an AI-rendered rendition of "Papaoutai" quietly became a sensation on Spotify. Leveraging a cloned vocal, it reimagined Stromae's decade-old hit as an African soul track, amassing over 14 million streams within a month.

However, the real story lies in what happened next. Algorithms guided listeners to discover Stromae's original—a heartfelt tribute to his father, lost in the Rwandan genocide. The AI version omitted the war's horror and the unsent family letter, yet it introduced a new audience to the song's emotional core.

AI has driven music production costs to near zero. Deezer data reveals that 75,000 new AI-generated tracks flood the platform daily, yet they account for a mere 1% to 3% of total streams. The industry's "value anchor" is shifting, with true worth now residing in storytelling, emotion, or an irreplaceable moment.

As AI floods the market, high-quality intellectual property (IP) becomes increasingly scarce. When replication costs vanish, the irreplaceable naturally appreciates. The music industry is inevitably moving towards human-AI collaboration. Platforms must prioritize order over mere growth, focusing on genuine scarcity to achieve optimal synergy with new technology.

01

An Irreversible Supply Revolution and the Growing Pains of the Era

In 1877, Edison's rendition of "Mary Had a Little Lamb" into a tin-foil cylinder seemed to herald the end of live concerts. Yet, recorded music didn't kill concerts; it gave birth to the record industry, radio, and film soundtracks.

The 1980s saw the TR-808 drum machine send shivers down drummers' spines, but it became the backbone of hip-hop. Michael Jackson used it to craft one of the best-selling albums in history.

The 2010s witnessed streaming replace physical records. Yet, global music revenue surged from $13 billion in 2014 to $28 billion in 2024.

Every technological panic concludes similarly: new jobs emerge, and the industry expands.

Of course, each innovation brings challenges. The rise of the record industry blurred rights boundaries between live and recorded performances. Streaming disrupted markets, pitting physical sales against digital distribution.

The AI revolution is no different. AI's uniqueness lies in its ultra-low barriers and near-zero marginal costs.

Thus, the core contradictions of the AI music era are evident:

First, infringement becomes effortless: voice cloning and style mimicry require no specialized skill. British singer Jorja Smith's independent label accused the TikTok hit "I Run" of using AI to mimic her voice for profit. Canadian singer-songwriter Leith Ross found eight AI-generated tracks fraudulently uploaded to her Spotify page. Tracing infringement amid this deluge is costly and difficult.

Second, content oversupply drowns out quality. Deezer reports that AI-generated tracks make up 44% of daily submissions (75,000 tracks) but only 1% to 3% of streams.

Third, AI's supply expansion squeezes musicians' income. A 2024 CISAC report predicts a 24% income decline for music creators by 2028. CISAC has vowed to protect creators' rights, emphasizing AI's role as a tool, not a replacement.

To address these pressing issues, global streaming platforms have clarified their stances in the past two years, continuously exploring new models for orderly synergy with AI.

02

The Flood Has Arrived: Overseas Music Industries Seek Orderly Synergy with AI

In recent years, overseas music industries' attitudes toward AI have evolved: from wariness and resistance to tentative engagement, then gradual synergy. But every step adheres to one principle—copyright order is non-negotiable. No one opposes synergy, but none accept it at the cost of copyright regression.

Historically, every content production revolution has hinged on copyright order. The 15th-century printing press spawned the Statute of Anne, founding modern copyright. The late-20th-century streaming boom forced Netflix to license content from studios before producing originals. History proves: upholding copyright precedes reaping technological rewards.

The music industry spent decades building this system: creators thrive on their work, platforms operate by rules. When AI arrived, the industry quickly agreed: embrace AI, but only within copyright boundaries.

In June 2024, Universal, Sony, and Warner sued Suno and Udio for unauthorized use of copyrighted recordings to train models. By late 2025, Universal and Udio reconciled, launching a licensed AI creation platform. Udio paid damages and gained authorization. Music companies began testing AI collaborations while defending copyrights.

Meanwhile, streaming platforms built their own AI frameworks. Deezer launched the world's first AI music labeling system, flagging albums with AI-generated content. Spotify removed over 75 million AI-generated "spam tracks" and introduced an "anti-impersonation policy" to delete unauthorized AI voice clones.

A consensus emerged: AI content must be labeled, copyrights respected, and order prioritized over synergy.

03

After Orderly Synergy, the Value Anchor of Music IP Becomes Clearer

Once synergy is achieved, valuable content naturally surfaces. Deezer sees 75,000 AI songs daily but they account for just 1% to 3% of streams, indicating AI music hasn't yet won market trust. The resurgence of "Papaoutai" proves emotional connection remains music's true value anchor.

Facing the AI deluge, domestic leading platforms align with overseas peers: prioritize copyrights while pursuing orderly synergy.

Regarding copyright defense, Tencent Music's management stated in its Q1 earnings call that AI boosts content efficiency but must not justify infringement. Against rampant AI piracy, TME established a dedicated rights protection mechanism to safeguard creators and copyright holders, opposing "song-washing, theft, and trend-hopping."

With copyrights non-negotiable, TME's core strategy is to leverage AI for efficiency and expand IP value through diverse services. Since Q1 2026, TME renamed "online music service revenue" to "music-related service revenue," signaling diversification into memberships, concerts, merchandise, and ads.

Facing shifting value anchors, TME focuses on two era-appropriate moves:

First: AI toolization. TME's all-in-one AI platform "VEMUS" has empowered over 150,000 musicians and 10 million users to create music.

Second: Deep IP exploration. This quarter, TME deepened ties with Jay Chou, offering digital-physical bundles for his album "Son of the Sun," exceeding 100 million yuan in sales. TME also hosted major concerts for K-pop groups like BABYMONSTER and NCT WISH, propelling global IP influence and tripling offline event revenue year-over-year.

TME Chairman Cussion Pang noted in Q1 earnings, "AI expands content creation participation, empowering creators and reinforcing IP scarcity and value—key to boosting user engagement and spending." Both overseas and domestic experiences validate this.

Thus, TME concludes: AI creates "content," accessible to all. Humans create "IP"—vessels of human emotion, irreplaceable containers of meaning.

The more AI floods the market, the more precious IP becomes.

04

Between Flow and Data, IP is Music's Balancing Act

AI music has found its niche. In the mass-printing era, handwritten letters became luxuries. When machine-made gold flooded markets, hand-forging became haute couture.

AI music's future lies in enabling faster, wider creation. A rural teen's imagination needn't be trapped by distance from instruments.

Then, true masterpieces will be human-AI collaborations. Humans provide the heartbeat; AI records it. Brushes don't steal from painters; pianos don't usurp Chopin's name. AI can write countless songs but cannot replicate the loneliness in Chopin's tuberculosis or Stromae's unsent letter—IP's essence is what data cannot quantify.

Technological tides won't reverse. Platforms must find the right path—synergy with new tech. For music, the anchor remains IP, crystallizing genuine human emotion.

This article is based on public information for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.