"AI's Sonic Frontier: Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, and the Unsettling Harmony of Machine-Created Music"
Earlier this year, Bad Bunny adamantly refuted rumors about a collaboration with Justin Bieber, stating, "You never know what I'm going to do." However, a month later, a song surfaced on TikTok featuring what seemed like their voices, revealing an unexpected twist—AI technology was behind it. FlowGPT, an artist, had utilized AI to recreate the voices of Bad Bunny, Bieber, and Daddy Yankee in a reggaeton anthem. Despite Bad Bunny disapproving and dubbing it a "shit of a song" in Spanish, the clip garnered millions of likes before being taken down.
This incident mirrors the complex intersections of AI and the music industry. Recent advancements in machine learning enable individuals to replicate the sounds of their musical idols from the comfort of their homes. Ghostwriter gained viral fame for mimicking Drake and The Weeknd, while another creator playfully paired Frank Sinatra's smooth voice with Lil Jon's profane lyrics. AI tools now allow users to generate songs by typing prompts, akin to text-to-image tools like DALL-E.
Advocates argue that these developments democratize music creation, empowering anyone with an idea to craft music independently. However, artists like Bad Bunny express outrage at the idea of their voices and styles being co-opted and commodified by others. The evolving dynamics between safeguarding artistic identity, fostering innovation, and defining the collaborative roles of humans and machines in music creation will be a pivotal narrative in the industry. Lex Dromgoole, a musician and AI technologist, raises essential questions about the future: "If there's a huge explosion in music created at infinite scale and infinite speed, will that return us to thinking about what we are actually bringing to the table as humans? Where does imagination exist in this? How do we bring character to our own creations?" The dialogue surrounding these queries will undoubtedly shape the future landscape of music creation.
"Harmony and Disquiet: The Dual Faces of AI in the Music Industry"
AI's infiltration into the music world extends beyond the creation of catchy tunes or remixes, seeping into various facets of the industry. Music producers leverage AI for mundane tasks, employing it to correct vocal pitch and expedite the mixing and mastering processes at a fraction of traditional costs. The Beatles themselves employed AI to isolate John Lennon's voice from a 1978 demo, creating a pristine, reimagined song by removing accompanying instruments and ambient noises.
On the listener's end, streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music rely on AI algorithms to recommend songs based on individual listening habits, shaping personalized musical journeys. However, the most intriguing and contentious realm is the actual creation of music using AI.
Tools like BandLab aid musicians in overcoming creative blocks by suggesting unique musical loops based on prompts. Endel, an AI app, crafts personalized soundtracks for focus, relaxation, or sleep, adapting to users' preferences and biometric data. Some AI tools go further, generating entire recordings based on text prompts. A YouTube tool powered by Google DeepMind's Lyria even allows users to input prompts like "A ballad about how opposites attract, upbeat acoustic," instantly generating a song snippet with a Charlie Puth-like voice.
These technological marvels, while captivating, also raise a plethora of concerns. The instantaneous creation of songs akin to established artists prompts questions about the impact on the original creators and the aspiring musicians who fear being replaced. Additionally, the ethics surrounding AI companies training models on existing songs without creators' permission sparks debates about intellectual property.
AI's influence extends to summoning the voices of the departed, as seen in an Edith Piaf biopic featuring an AI-created version of her voice. This leads to profound questions about memory and legacy, challenging our understanding of reanimating historical voices.
Even staunch advocates of AI in music are grappling with reservations. Edward Newton-Rex, the former vice president of audio at Stability AI, resigned, expressing concern about AI contributing to musician job displacement. He highlighted the ethical dilemma of companies using creators' works to train generative AI models without permission, generating content that competes with the originals.
As AI continues to shape the musical landscape, the industry faces a delicate dance between innovation, ethical considerations, and the preservation of artistic integrity. The evolution of AI in music creation prompts us to ponder the boundaries of creativity, intellectual property, and the profound societal shifts underway."
"Decoding the Melody: The Ongoing Legal, Artistic, and Ethical Symphony of AI in Music"
As the harmonies of AI and music entwine, a crescendo of legal and ethical questions looms, set to play out in courtrooms over the coming years. Universal Music Group and other major labels recently took action against startup Anthropic when its AI model, Claude 2, began spitting out copyrighted lyrics verbatim. Sony Music, too, voiced concerns, issuing nearly 10,000 takedown requests for unauthorized vocal deepfakes.
The debate intensifies as artists grapple with the prospect of AI-generated clones of their voices. Dolly Parton, denouncing AI vocal clones as "the mark of the beast," captures the apprehension shared by many. AI companies counter by invoking "fair use," likening their creations to homages, parodies, or cover songs.
In this legal symphony, singer-songwriter Holly Herndon took a proactive stance by creating her own vocal deepfake, Holly+. Rather than surrendering voices, her project aims to empower artists to engage in meaningful conversations and claim autonomy in a music industry increasingly influenced by tech giants. Herndon envisions artists having agency over their digital selves while embracing playfulness over punitive measures.
Musician Lex Dromgoole, co-founder of AI company Bronze, envisions the evolution of AI music beyond mimicking voices and instantaneously generating music. Bronze collaborated with musicians like Disclosure and Jai Paul to create dynamic AI versions of their music, challenging the notion of static, monetizable songs. Dromgoole dismisses the tech industry's penchant for shortcuts, emphasizing the irreplaceable allure of the creative process. The goal, he asserts, is not to streamline creativity but to harness AI's potential to redefine our understanding of music.
As the melody of AI in music continues to unfold, artists, tech companies, and the legal system navigate the complex interplay of innovation, protection, and the artistic soul that defines the ever-evolving world of music creation."
"In the symphony of AI and music, the legal and ethical debates surrounding AI's role continue to crescendo. As artists grapple with the potential ramifications of AI-generated clones, legal battles emerge between major labels and AI startups. Yet, amidst the discord, there's a proactive push for autonomy and creativity. Holly Herndon's initiative, Holly+, encourages artists to engage in these pivotal conversations, fostering agency over their digital personas. Meanwhile, AI companies like Bronze envision a future where AI's role transcends imitation, challenging the static nature of music. The conclusion remains unwritten, but the evolving narrative signals a transformative era where technology, artistry, and the essence of creativity harmonize in a dynamic symphony."