It is a feat most Grammy winners never achieve: billions of streams across the world’s largest platforms. But for Michael Smith, a 54-year-old North Carolina resident, the "fans" didn't exist. They were lines of code, and the music was "AI slop."
Smith has officially pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, marking the first-ever criminal conviction for AI-assisted music streaming fraud in US history. As part of his plea, Smith has agreed to forfeit $8.1 million in illicit gains, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.
