Sony Music has filed more than 260,000 takedown requests targeting AI-generated deepfakes of its artists, the company told the Financial Times on October 5.

The figure is nearly double the 135,000 requests Sony reported in March. It shows how fast AI voice cloning is spreading across the internet.

Fake tracks imitating artists such as Harry Styles, Adele, Queen and Michael Jackson have flooded social media and streaming platforms. Some rack up millions of plays before they are removed.

Sony says it runs a dedicated team to hunt down infringing uploads. The label argues the fakes violate artists' rights and confuse fans.

The music industry is pushing for tougher laws on AI voice cloning. Several countries are considering rules that would give artists control over their vocal likeness.

Tech platforms say they remove reported fakes quickly. But new uploads appear constantly, making enforcement a game of whack-a-mole.

Rival labels Universal and Warner have reported similar surges in AI-related takedown requests this year. All three majors now run dedicated teams to police AI-generated uploads.

Sources: musicbusinessworldwide.com, musically.com, ad-hoc-news.de.