Sony Music Seeks Removal Of Over 2.6 Lakh AI Deepfake Tracks Impersonating Artists

Sony Music Entertainment has requested the removal of more than 260,000 AI-generated tracks impersonating its artists from digital platforms, highlighting the growing challenge of unauthorised artificial intelligence-generated music in the streaming ecosystem.

According to reports, the number of takedown requests had nearly doubled by the end of September 2026, compared with more than 135,000 requests recorded at the end of March. Artists whose voices and identities have been targeted include Harry Styles, Adele, Britney Spears, Queen and Michael Jackson. 

Sony has raised concerns over AI-generated tracks that imitate artists’ voices and likenesses without permission, warning that the practice can mislead listeners, harm performers and undermine the responsible use of AI in music.

The company said it would continue enforcing artists’ rights and expects streaming platforms to act promptly on takedown requests while preventing the same content from reappearing. However, Sony acknowledged that tackling the growing volume of unauthorised tracks is becoming increasingly difficult. 

AI Deepfakes Raise Concerns Over Streaming Fraud

The issue extends beyond unauthorised voice imitation. The music industry is also grappling with AI-generated tracks uploaded in large volumes and artificially streamed to generate fraudulent royalties, potentially diverting revenue from legitimate artists.

Sony’s reported figure represents tracks it has asked platforms to remove; it does not confirm how many have actually been taken down. The company has also not publicly detailed the individual platforms that received the requests.

The rise in AI-generated music has intensified debate around copyright, artist consent and the responsibilities of streaming services. Sony and other major music companies have also pursued legal action against AI music platforms over the alleged unauthorised use of copyrighted recordings to train generative AI systems.

As AI tools become more accessible, the challenge for the music industry is increasingly twofold: protecting artists’ identities from unauthorised imitation and ensuring that streaming platforms can identify and address fraudulent content at scale.