AI Usage at a Glance
Timeline
May 3, 2022
Data AnalysisPractice documented: SoundCloud uses an in-house AI system, built on technology from its 2022 acquisition of Musiio, to automatically analyze and tag music uploaded to the platform. This system identifies genre, mood, patterns, and other characteristics of uploaded audio at scale.
Practice DocumentedView practice →May 4, 2022
Data AnalysisNew evidence: SoundCloud acquires AI music-tagging startup Musiio
Evidence AddedView practice →Mar 13, 2023
RecommendationPractice documented: SoundCloud deployed an AI-driven autoplay and discovery feed that recommends music to listeners based on their listening history, genre preferences, and user activity. The system surfaces tracks in playlists, autoplay queues, and personalized feeds across the platform.
Practice DocumentedView practice →Jun 1, 2023
RecommendationNew evidence: Amplify tracks to reach 100+ listeners – SoundCloud Help Center
Evidence AddedView practice →Jun 1, 2023
RecommendationPractice documented: SoundCloud deployed an AI feature called First Fans that automatically recommends newly uploaded tracks to listeners most likely to enjoy them, even before a song has accumulated any plays. The feature is available to Artist and Artist Pro subscribers on the platform.
Practice DocumentedView practice →Jun 29, 2023
RecommendationNew evidence: SoundCloud tackles what it calls the 'Zero Plays problem' with AI-Powered 'First Fans' feature
Evidence AddedView practice →Jan 1, 2024
Creative GenPractice documented: SoundCloud integrated nine third-party AI music creation tools into its platform, allowing artists and fans to generate, remix, or produce music using AI and upload it directly to SoundCloud. The first three integrations — Fadr, Soundful, and Voice-Swap — launched in January 2024, followed by six more tools in November 2024.
Practice DocumentedView practice →Jan 19, 2024
OtherPractice documented: SoundCloud integrated DataDome's AI-powered bot and fraud detection platform to automatically identify and block fraudulent traffic, fake plays, fake account creation, and credential-stuffing attacks across its web, mobile, and API endpoints.
Practice DocumentedView practice →Jan 25, 2024
Creative GenNew evidence: SoundCloud Partners with Fadr, Soundful, and Voice-Swap to Introduce Artist-First AI Integrations
Evidence AddedView practice →May 2, 2024
RecommendationNew evidence: SoundCloud launches 'fan-powered' Buzzing Playlists to spotlight up-and-coming artists
Evidence AddedView practice →Nov 1, 2024
Creative GenNew evidence: SoundCloud AI Partnerships and Integrations
Evidence AddedView practice →Nov 20, 2024
Creative GenNew evidence: SoundCloud Adds New AI Tools, Commits to Artist Protections
Evidence AddedView practice →May 9, 2025
OtherNew evidence: SoundCloud changes policies to allow AI training on user content
Evidence AddedView practice →May 9, 2025
OtherPractice documented: SoundCloud updated its Terms of Service in February 2024 to include language stating that users agree their content may be used to 'inform, train, develop or serve as input to artificial intelligence' as part of providing the platform's services. Following public backlash in May 2025, SoundCloud's CEO issued a letter clarifying that no user content had been used to train generative AI models, and the company revised its terms to explicitly prohibit training generative AI on user content without opt-in consent.
Practice DocumentedView practice →May 12, 2025
Data AnalysisNew evidence: SoundCloud addresses AI clause in terms of service, says it 'has never used artist content to train AI models'
Evidence AddedView practice →May 12, 2025
OtherNew evidence: SoundCloud addresses AI clause in terms of service, says it 'has never used artist content to train AI models'
Evidence AddedView practice →May 14, 2025
OtherNew evidence: A Letter from our CEO: Clarifying our Terms of Use
Evidence AddedView practice →Recent activity
SoundCloud deployed an AI-driven autoplay and discovery feed that recommends music to listeners based on their listening history, genre preferences, and user activity. The system surfaces tracks in playlists, autoplay queues, and personalized feeds across the platform.
SoundCloud's discovery page confirms the platform automatically analyzes, tags, and surfaces music using AI trained on audio characteristics rather than popularity signals alone. The system detects patterns, genres, moods, and fan preferences to match listeners with tracks they are likely to enjoy. In March 2023, SoundCloud also announced a TikTok-style vertical recommendation feed that serves 30-second clips based on listening history, built on Musiio technology. SoundCloud's autoplay algorithm connects fans with similar tastes based on user activity and listening history; this applies to all publicly available tracks.
SoundCloud deployed an AI feature called First Fans that automatically recommends newly uploaded tracks to listeners most likely to enjoy them, even before a song has accumulated any plays. The feature is available to Artist and Artist Pro subscribers on the platform.
First Fans uses AI technology built on the Musiio acquisition (completed May 2022) to analyze a track's audio content — detecting patterns, genre, and mood — and match it to around 100 listeners based on their listening history and user activity. This content-based recommendation approach was designed to address the 'zero plays problem,' where a significant share of new music receives no streams. As of May 2024, the algorithm was updated to recommend top-performing tracks to up to 1,000 listeners, and over 3.5 million tracks had been analyzed and recommended since launch.
SoundCloud updated its Terms of Service in February 2024 to include language stating that users agree their content may be used to 'inform, train, develop or serve as input to artificial intelligence' as part of providing the platform's services. Following public backlash in May 2025, SoundCloud's CEO issued a letter clarifying that no user content had been used to train generative AI models, and the company revised its terms to explicitly prohibit training generative AI on user content without opt-in consent.
The February 2024 Terms update was discovered publicly in May 2025 by tech ethicist Ed Newton-Rex, triggering widespread concern among artists. SoundCloud stated the clause was intended to cover internal AI uses such as personalized recommendations, content organization, fraud detection, and content identification — not generative AI model training. In a May 14, 2025 CEO letter, SoundCloud revised its Terms to state: 'We will not use Your Content to train generative AI models that aim to replicate or synthesize your voice, music, or likeness without your explicit consent.' Any future use of content for generative AI model training would require an opt-in mechanism.
All practices by category
SoundCloud deployed an AI-driven autoplay and discovery feed that recommends music to listeners based on their listening history, genre preferences, and user activity. The system surfaces tracks in playlists, autoplay queues, and personalized feeds across the platform.
SoundCloud deployed an AI feature called First Fans that automatically recommends newly uploaded tracks to listeners most likely to enjoy them, even before a song has accumulated any plays. The feature is available to Artist and Artist Pro subscribers on the platform.
SoundCloud updated its Terms of Service in February 2024 to include language stating that users agree their content may be used to 'inform, train, develop or serve as input to artificial intelligence' as part of providing the platform's services. Following public backlash in May 2025, SoundCloud's CEO issued a letter clarifying that no user content had been used to train generative AI models, and the company revised its terms to explicitly prohibit training generative AI on user content without opt-in consent.
SoundCloud integrated DataDome's AI-powered bot and fraud detection platform to automatically identify and block fraudulent traffic, fake plays, fake account creation, and credential-stuffing attacks across its web, mobile, and API endpoints.
Cite this record
Trace Foundation. (2026). SoundCloud: documented AI practices (data as of 2026-05-11) [Data set record]. AI Trace. https://www.aitrace.org/r/company/b0d81ed5-0d98-444b-8485-584f51bebb1d. Accessed September 7, 2026.
- Stable link
- https://www.aitrace.org/r/company/b0d81ed5-0d98-444b-8485-584f51bebb1d
- Data as of
- May 11, 2026
- Last verified
- Not recorded
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