Most Gen Z and millennial listeners in the US are already spending time each week with AI-generated music, according to new research from Morgan Stanley.
The bank’s latest annual survey of audio habits is the first to ask directly about AI music. Its findings suggest that AI tracks are quietly becoming part of everyday listening, especially among younger audiences.
“What we found surprised us, with 50–60% of listeners aged 18–44 reporting 2.5–3 hours per week of AI music listening,” wrote analyst Benjamin Swinburne.
Where the listening is happening
Around 60% of 18–29 year-olds said they listen to AI music, averaging roughly three hours a week. Among 30–44 year-olds, that drops slightly to 55% and about 2.5 hours.
Listening tails off sharply with age. Only a quarter of 45–64 year-olds reported any AI music use at all.
YouTube and TikTok were cited as the main sources, pointing to social and video platforms rather than traditional streaming services as the real drivers of AI music discovery.
That distinction helps explain why the data clashes with figures from Deezer, which says fully AI-generated tracks make up 34% of new uploads but only 0.5% of streams, many linked to bots.
In short, people may not be streaming much AI music, but younger listeners are still encountering plenty of it elsewhere. For the industry, that shift is already underway, whether it likes it or not.
