Stephen: AI music critics are here and they’re weirdly accurate

Will AI replace your favorite talent show judges? Researchers in California have used artificial intelligence to identify hit pop songs with 97% accuracy. This technology could replicate famed Simon Cowell’s skills for a fraction of the price. The AI could also be used to make streaming services like Netflix more efficient.

In the study, participants wore brain scanners while listening to 24 songs. The brain signal data was then used to “neuroforecast” the number of streams a song might receive.

“This means that streaming services can readily identify new songs that are likely to be hits for people’s playlists more efficiently,” researcher Paul Zak of Claremont Graduate University said.