AI bots are eating into Latin America’s music industry
Musicians warn that cheap machine-made tracks are hijacking streams and threatening the cultural lifeblood of the region’s sound.
Since artificial intelligence (AI) took off, the big fear has always been about jobs disappearing. What few expected, least of all musicians, is that it would creep into their world too. Today, across Latin America, artists say machines are edging into spaces once reserved for human creativity.
We’re seeing AI-generated music flood Spotify, Deezer, and YouTube Music with thousands of tracks every day. Musicians say these bot-made songs are eating into their streams, visibility, and ability to make a living. Across Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, and beyond, independent musicians are sounding the alarm.
And the numbers back them up as Deezer reported that by January 2025, about 10% of uploads on its platform were AI-generated. Just three months later, the figure had jumped to 18%. That’s nearly one in five songs uploaded daily, many of them low-effort tracks churned out in minutes with tools like Suno and Udio.
Even the biggest stars aren’t immune. Bad Bunny, one of Latin America’s most famous artists, had his voice cloned in a fake track that briefly broke into Spotify’s Top 100 in Chile before being pulled down. If a superstar with billions of streams can be hijacked, it makes one wonder what chance does a smaller artist have?
Emmanuel Umahi
For indie musicians, the imbalance is brutal. Paraguayan pop artist Sari Carri told Rest of World she spends hundreds of dollars and weeks of effort on each single, only to earn about $100 in five years on Spotify. Meanwhile, AI competitors crank out endless tracks at almost no cost, cutting short the lifespan of her songs and forcing her to fight for attention through reels and TikToks just to stay visible.
The frustration also goes deeper for most than lost income. Music in Latin America transcends entertainment—it’s cultural memory. Many artists see themselves as custodians of tradition, keeping local sounds alive. But as streaming platforms get clogged with synthetic tracks, these unique voices risk being drowned out in a cacophony of noise, as the artists call it.
Emmanuel Oyedeji
Streaming platforms say they’re trying to fight back. Deezer, for example, is rolling out AI-detection tools to filter fake music, while Spotify has joined the Music Fights Fraud Alliance to curb streaming manipulation. But artists say it feels like a losing battle; for every AI track removed, dozens more slip through.
So, they’re adapting in other ways. Instead of albums, many release singles every few weeks to feed the algorithms. Others lean into live shows, vinyl, and even cassettes as a way to reconnect directly with fans. It’s a survival strategy in a market that feels increasingly tilted toward machines.
But even with these efforts, a bigger question hangs over the industry: what happens to music when the machines don’t just play it — they make it?
