Is Our Music Choice Truly Free in the Age of AI?

[Ismaello]

In the age of AI-driven music recommendations, I’ve noticed a troubling trend: our music choices don’t feel as free as they should be. It often seems like algorithms are pushing specific genres or artists, possibly influenced by commercial interests. For instance, I might enjoy listening to blues or heavy metal like Iron Maiden, but then suddenly, my playlist or recommendations are filled with reggaeton or other genres that feel out of place.

It makes me wonder: are these algorithms truly designed to enhance our personal preferences, or are they subtly steering us towards music that benefits certain artists or record labels? Are we being exposed to music because we might genuinely like it, or because someone paid for it to appear in our feeds?

This isn't about disliking any specific genre—my taste is eclectic, and I love discovering new music—but it feels frustrating when I sense that my music exploration is being manipulated. Shouldn't AI work to reflect and expand on *my* tastes instead of nudging me in directions I didn't ask for?

I want to start a discussion about whether others have felt this way too. How much influence do commercial interests have over these AI algorithms? And is there a way to make music discovery more transparent and truly tailored to our preferences?