AI and bots allegedly used to fraudulently boost music streams

A major streaming fraud scheme involving AI-generated music has been uncovered. Michael Smith, 52, from North Carolina faces charges for allegedly using AI and bots to create and stream fake songs, earning over $10 million in illegitimate royalties. Smith worked with an AI music company to produce thousands of AI tracks monthly, which were then streamed by bots up to 10,000 at a time. If convicted, Smith could face significant prison time. This case highlights growing concerns about AI's impact on the music industry and royalty payments to legitimate artists.