On Wednesday, the U.S. government arrested a 52-year-old North Carolina man for a novel 21st-century crime: generating over $10 million through artificial intelligence. Michael Smith allegedly created “instant” music with AI, uploaded it to streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, and then boosted the play counts using over 10,000 fake accounts. This scheme, which started in earnest in 2019, involved using AI to generate not just the music but also the artist names and album art.
According to The New York Times, Smith initially tried using his own music and licensing others’ work but soon turned to AI for mass production. His operation was so successful that he boasted in an email about earning more than $12 million from these activities.
Despite occasional flags from streaming services for AI-generated content issues, much of this music remains online. The fake tracks and albums like those on “Luminous Links Vol. 6” typically feature generic electronic music and AI-generated artwork.
Smith faces charges of wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy, with potential penalties of up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
