That AI is going to be even in the soup is no longer a surprise: we saw it at the CES in 2026 and we see it more and more on the internet. Of course, music is no exception: Spotify has already had to use scissors to eliminate 75 million songs while there are already hits made in AI that triumph on legendary charts like Billboard.
Three hours a week. While there are those who continue to debate whether or not to use artificial intelligence in art, life continues its course with a reality in the shape of a steamroller: according to Morgan Stanley’s “Audio Habits Survey” prepared by Alphawise, in which for the first time they have included among their questions about music in AI, young people listen to music generated by artificial intelligence three hours a week.
Why is it important. Because while there are artists associating on one hand and platforms on the other acting in front of content generated with artificial intelligence, the fact that the younger audience is not only not reluctant but also feels comfortable with this type of audio gives food for thought. It may be that while media companies are debating whether to adopt or resist, the potential audience is making the decision for them.
If you can’t beat the enemy… In fact, that is the invitation of the team led by analyst Benjamin Swinburne in its conclusions: “we consider that AI will be a key driver for Spotify in 2026 and beyond. Specifically, we expect AI to be fundamental to Spotify’s efforts towards personalization 2.0.”
They have also remembered the record label Warner Music Group, which recently partnered with Suno to monetize music made in AI: “The rise of AI music will increase the value of scarce catalog resources, while potentially generating new competition for top-of-the-line content.”
In figures. According to the aforementioned survey carried out in the United States, on average 36% of the people interviewed listen to music made by AI for an average of 1.7 hours on average. But if there is an age segment that listens and accepts this reality more, it is between 18 and 29 years old, with 60% and three hours. Millennials follow, with 55% of people surveyed and 2.5 hours on average. In generation
The generational division of those who listen to music made in AI. Via: Sherwood News
In detail. The small print of the survey is that the most common sources from which this music generated with artificial intelligence comes are TikTok and YouTube. The first of them, the entertainment app par excellence of generation Z and the very young Alpha.
However, the policies of the different platforms regarding AI vary: TikTok encourages the use of AI as a creative tool even though it is strict when labeling it, YouTube also sees AI as a creative ally with the corresponding labeling and only allows monetization if there is added human value. Spotify, on the other hand, prioritizes the quality and protection of real catalogs and although it allows AI, it has declared war on music spam that it considers to be of low quality.
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Cover | Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
