The Quiet Rise of AI Background Music
Next time you’re browsing a store, working out at the gym, or sipping coffee in a café, the music playing in the background may not have been written by a human at all. AI-generated background music is quietly spreading through public spaces worldwide, offering retailers a cheaper, faster, and royalty-free alternative to licensed tracks. While this shift may seem like a minor operational change, it carries significant economic, legal, and cultural consequences for music creators.
For retailers and hospitality venues, AI music is an attractive proposition. Companies that curate soundscapes for large chains increasingly rely on generative tools similar to Suno or Udio, which can produce endless streams of brand-aligned music without navigating complex licensing agreements. However, this convenience comes at a steep cost for creators. A 2024 report from CISAC estimates that music creators could lose up to 24% of their income by 2028, translating to more than €10 billion in lost revenue over five years. Meanwhile, AI-music companies are projected to generate around €4 billion annually by the same year.
Training Data, Transparency, and Missed Opportunities
Much of the financial loss stems from how generative music systems are trained and deployed. These models rely on vast libraries of human-made recordings, yet most companies provide little transparency about what data is used, whether consent was obtained, or how creators might be compensated. Research published between 2023 and 2025 demonstrates that fairer systems are technically possible. Attribution-by-design models can identify which artists influenced an AI-generated track, while computational copyright frameworks could enable royalty distribution. Even “unlearning” techniques exist that allow models to remove a creator’s influence upon request. The tools are available—the ecosystem has simply been slow to adopt them.
Recent licensing agreements between platforms like Suno and major labels such as Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group mark a turning point, but they also raise new concerns. While these deals may legitimize AI music, they risk accelerating the spread of synthetic, royalty-free ambience in public spaces, further reducing income for independent and local artists who rely on performance royalties. Beyond economics, the cultural impact is profound. Music created by humans carries identity, context, and emotional depth, while AI background music is designed primarily for behavioral optimization.
Keeping Creators at the Center
AI is not inherently harmful to music. The real challenge lies in ensuring transparency, fair compensation, and ethical design. By working together—artists, technologists, retailers, policymakers, and rights organizations—AI can be shaped to support rather than sideline human creativity. The future sound of our public spaces depends on whether we choose efficiency alone, or a system that values both innovation and human expression.
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