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High Occupancy Rates for Cyprus Restaurants in October; Winter Decline Anticipated

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

Restaurants, cafes, and bars in Cyprus experienced a strong October, with occupancy levels reaching 80 to 90 per cent, according to Neophytos Thrasyvoulou, president of the Federation of Leisure Centre Owners (Osika). He described October as a “very successful month” for the food service industry.

However, with winter approaching, Thrasyvoulou acknowledged potential challenges, especially with the impact of regional instability. “Visitor numbers have seen a slight drop in recent days,” he noted, though he hopes that occupancy levels will remain steady until mid-November. By early November, Thrasyvoulou expects visitor occupancy to hover around 50 to 60 per cent, after which the responsibility will lie with businesses to keep operating, with support from the Labour Ministry’s programme to extend the tourism season.

Reflecting on the earlier summer months of June and July, Thrasyvoulou highlighted that visitor numbers were initially lower than expected, largely due to Middle East tensions. The trend eventually improved, leading to a stronger second half of the season.

Despite rising costs, Thrasyvoulou urged business owners to maintain affordable pricing, aiming to keep dining accessible for both locals and tourists amid economic pressures.

Spotify To Label AI-Generated Artist Identities And Limit Their Reach

by News Editor

Spotify is introducing a new “AI Persona” label for artist profiles that appear to represent AI-generated identities, while limiting how music from those profiles is surfaced across the platform.

The new labels will begin appearing in September, as Spotify expands its efforts to distinguish between real artists, AI-generated identities and music created with AI tools.

What The AI Persona Label Means

Artists will be able to identify themselves as AI Personas through Spotify for Artists starting August 11. However, Spotify said it will not rely solely on self-disclosure.

The company will also review artist profiles where names and images appear to depict photorealistic AI-generated identities. The initial review will focus on profiles that have reached predefined audience thresholds, allowing Spotify to prioritise more widely heard artists.

Once applied, the “AI Persona” badge will be visible on artist profiles, in Search and alongside tracks in playlists.

AI Personas Will Be Excluded From Recommendations

By default, Spotify will not include labeled AI Personas in its editorial or algorithmic recommendations. Their music will also be excluded from personalised recommendations.

There is one exception: users who deliberately follow an AI Persona can still receive its music in their recommendations. Spotify considers following an artist an explicit indication that a listener wants to hear more from that profile.

The company will also introduce a reporting tool that allows users to flag profiles they believe represent AI Personas but have not yet been labeled.

The Label Applies To The Artist, Not The Music

Spotify stressed that the new designation concerns an artist’s public identity rather than whether their music was made using AI.

Artists can use AI in different ways as part of the creative process, and the company will continue providing information about how individual tracks were created through features such as AI Credits and SongDNA.

Artists will also be able to appeal an AI Persona label if they believe it has been applied incorrectly.

Spotify Tightens Its Approach To AI Music

The new policy builds on Spotify’s broader efforts to address AI-generated content. The company previously introduced systems to identify and label AI music using industry-standard techniques and banned unauthorised AI voice clones and deepfakes.

At the same time, Spotify continues to develop AI-powered products, including Prompted Playlists, AI DJ and its AI-powered music assistant.

The company is also preparing to introduce AI-generated remixes and covers following recent licensing agreements with UMG and Merlin. The new AI Persona labels are intended to help users distinguish those features from profiles that present themselves as AI-generated artists.

Spotify’s move comes as the music industry grapples with the rapid growth of AI-generated content and concerns about low-quality material flooding streaming platforms.

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