A hot potato: Given the complaints about it being little more than slop – not to mention the legal troubles – you might think that music streaming services want to keep AI tracks to a minimum. Spotify, however, looks set to launch a previously announced paid service next year that lets subscribers remix songs using AI and upload them. Unsurprisingly, some artists aren't happy about this plan.
The Financial Times reports that Spotify aims to launch its AI-powered remixing service in the first quarter of 2027, meaning it could be unveiled around February's Grammy Awards.
The tool would cost an extra $4 to $5 per month on top of the standard subscription fee. It would allow users to create their own versions of songs on the platform. The FT gives the examples of transforming a folk song into a dance track or making one artist appear to cover another's music.
The remixes could then be uploaded to Spotify. Royalties from the fan-created tracks would flow back to artists, while the remixes would appear in playlists and plays would count towards the original songs in Spotify's charts.
Spotify is said to have already struck licensing deals with Universal Music Group, independent label group Merlin and French music company Believe for its AI remixing service. It is still negotiating with Sony Music and Warner Music.
Musicians who aren't happy about their work being remixed will be able to veto the use of their music, even if their record label has reached an agreement with Spotify.
The report adds that while some established older artists have been willing to go along with the plan, there are several unnamed major contemporary stars pushing back against the idea.
It seems Spotify isn't against AI music when it's being used on its own terms. In July, the company revealed it had removed 75 million AI-generated spam tracks in 2025, with a dedicated team tackling low-effort uploads, which it distinguishes from legitimate AI-assisted music.
Co-CEO Alex Norström defended the AI-remixing plans back in May, arguing that a licensed, controlled service was preferable to unauthorized AI music, while promising artist consent and compensation. But composer and artists' rights advocate Ed Newton-Rex warned that allowing fans to share their creations could flood Spotify with AI remixes, crowding out other songs and pressuring more musicians to participate.
There are also the problems of fraud and attribution. Deezer said last year that 70% of streams of AI-generated music were fraudulent. Sony, meanwhile, has reportedly developed technology to identify original music influencing AI tracks, potentially helping rights holders seek compensation when their work contributes to songs produced by generative systems.