Artificial intelligence is shaking up the music industry, sparking a heated debate among artistes and industry players, elle.com reports. The use of AI in music production, particularly in generating vocals that mimic famous artists, has sparked concerns about creativity, originality, and artist rights.
Recently, a song titled ‘Heart on My Sleeve’, featuring AI-generated vocals resembling The Weeknd and Drake, went viral before being removed from streaming platforms. This incident has brought attention to the potential threat AI-generated music poses to artistic integrity.
In response, the Artists Rights Alliance has launched a petition calling for a halt to the use of AI in music creation. Notable artistes such as Billie Eilish, Katy Perry, Zayn Malik and Camila Cabello have signed the petition, emphasising the importance of protecting creators’ rights.
Billie Eilish attends the 96th Annual Academy Awards on March 10, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Image: JC Olivera/Getty Images)The open letter accompanying the petition acknowledges AI’s potential to enhance creativity but warns against its misuse to undermine artists and songwriters. Despite this unified stance, some artistes like David Guetta and Grimes support AI tools in music production, even offering to share royalties for successful AI-generated songs.
The divide reflects ongoing discussions within the music industry about the ethical and artistic implications of AI technologies, highlighting the need for balanced innovation that respects creators’ contributions.
