The Vergecast · October 14, 2026 · 38m

The $8 million AI music scam

Mike Smith was sentenced to 18 months in prison and an $8 million fine for creating an AI system that faked billions of music streams. Wired reporter Kate Knibbs explains how he carried out the scheme, how authorities caught him, and what the case reveals about the growing tide of AI-generated slop on the internet.

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Preview

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AI Music Streaming Fraud Scheme

Mike Smith used an AI system to generate fake music streams, earning millions in royalties before being caught.

Claude ChatGPT Gemini

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Detection of Streaming Fraud

Wired reporter Kate Knibbs explains how the fraudulent streams were detected and led to Smith's conviction.

Claude ChatGPT Gemini

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