How to Release AI-Assisted Music in 2026: DDEX ContainsAI and Credits

Updated 2026-10-21 · 10 sources

Short answer

Decide for each part (lyrics, vocals, composition, instrumentation, production, artwork) whether AI wasn't used, assisted a human, or generated it. That gives you DDEX ContainsAI: None if no part used AI, All if every part was generated, otherwise Partly. Credit generated parts to a GenerativeAI contributor and keep human contributors credited. Then deliver through a distributor that supports the fields, and keep your generation records.

1. Pick the ContainsAI value

DDEX ERN 4.3.2 defines ContainsAI with three values: None, Partly and All [1]. It applies to SoundRecording, Release, Image, Text and Video resources [2]. A recording marked All may list only GenerativeAI contributors. A recording marked None may not list any contributor whose AiContribution is Partly or All [2].

2. Credit contributors

For a GenerativeAI special contributor, AiContribution defaults to All. Any other contributor can only be None or Partly [3] [4]. In practice: credit the AI system for generated parts, and mark a human who used AI tools as Partly. On Spotify, credit AI and human contributions to the same role separately [5].

3. Check the platform rules

Spotify: AI credits are optional, per role, added through supporting distributors. Vocal impersonation is only allowed when the impersonated artist has authorized it [5] [6].
Deezer: runs its own AI detection, labels albums containing fully AI-generated tracks, and excludes that content from recommendations [7].
Apple Music: hides content that uses AI in a misleading manner [8].

4. Check your tool's licence

Generation terms differ between tools and are changing. For example, after Warner Music Group's November 2025 deal, Suno said downloads would require a paid account [9], and Udio disabled downloads after its settlement with Universal [10]. Read your plan's current terms before distributing.

Examples

Instead of	Use	Why
Human song, AI-generated cover art: ContainsAI on the release = None	SoundRecording None · Image All · Release Partly	The release contains an AI-generated resource.
Fully generated track crediting a human "vocalist"	ContainsAI All with GenerativeAI contributors only	DDEX: All allows only GenerativeAI contributors.
AI-assisted lyrics marked All	Partly, with the lyricist's AiContribution = Partly	Assisted isn't generated.

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FAQ

Is AI-generated music allowed on streaming services?

The platforms covered here don't ban it outright, but they restrict how it's presented. Spotify bars unauthorized vocal impersonation and spam tactics, Deezer labels and de-recommends fully AI tracks, and Apple hides misleading uses of AI.

Does my distributor support ContainsAI?

Ask them. Support for ERN 4.3.2 fields and for Spotify AI credits varies by distributor. Spotify says AI credits are only available through certain distributors.

What records should I keep?

The tool and plan used, prompts, generation dates, which parts were generated, and your licence terms at the time. These are what a distributor or rights holder will ask for if a release is questioned.

Related guides

Sources

Platform rules change. Each rule above is attributed to the company or standard that published it, as checked on 2026-10-21. This guide is not legal advice.