It’s been almost two years since I last talked to you about AI music and how this technology was evolving. Unsurprisingly, this article now feels like it was written five or ten years ago. Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology has developed exponentially in the last couple of months, and now we face a big dilemma: AI-generated music has entered the world of streaming and the music business, and it has not brought good news with it.
If you have not heard about it already, and have already found themselves in controversies regarding AI artists, including theories that these platforms are , giving less money to human artists, and getting more profit for less cost by creating AI music. Given some of these circumstances, some artists have decided (temporarily or definitely) to , citing bad royalty payments and issues regarding AI music.
From the consumer’s side, many listeners online have also decided to to pursue platforms that and do not support AI content, like Apple Music, TIDAL, or Napster. I am one of those individuals, but it was not easy to move all my playlists to another platform, even with the help of There are more reasons behind this decision, though.
I have met people on the internet who fully support AI-generated art, and I have also seen that cover these topics and show the mentality and skills of people who prompt AIs to create such content. The linked video (around minutes 14 and 32 and later on minute 35) talks about how photography was treated in the same way we treat AI today: as a threat for the arts. But then this invention led artists to reinvent how to create art that is still valuable and can go beyond what photography offers. In the same way, supporters of AI mention that artists should adapt and incorporate the technology into their work, or be able to come up with something new.
On the other hand, I also heard from artists who still defend human-made music and art. even use it as a label to attract those who are looking for non-robot material. People argue about its — hence the word “” given usually to AI content — and others mention its emotional quality. One inclined to be anti-AI might think, “What sense of emotional link could you get from a song created with a prompt and some tweaks?” But we must acknowledge that there are also musicians who perform music that feels like a machine played it.
We have to define what value human music brings to society that AI music cannot already get. We live in a consumerist society, and so the more people can consume, the better. AI is an easy way to generate music products and give people what they want. Most companies and AI creators can see that, so they invest in it, charge more to users for the content, and get more money for it. And while companies like Spotify appear to be , it might be another PR move to prevent their users from leaving their platforms.
Leaving consumerism aside, we must understand what it means to create music. Music creation goes from giving some melody and rhythm to a couple of phrases you found funny or interesting to match, to depicting your whole culture and history into sounds that transcend time. Every time I study music history — whether about Johann Sebastian Bach’s vision about , George Gershwin’s ideal of the classical and jazz world, or the long-standing sounds of the who have faced discrimination for centuries — it just makes me realize how little knowledge I have about the world and the different lenses through which people view life on this earth. The crafting of music is not just about mixing knowledge to get a new recipe and reproduce it, but about sharing vulnerability and a message to be passed on for generations.
The problem lies in the fact that AI does what music creation should not be. AI is trained on previous knowledge and material (sometimes without the creators’ consent) and tries to mix it in a way that can please the given prompt. Now, you might be thinking, “But is this not how creations are usually conceived?” Yes, you are right, but it does not mean that all combinations are good or bring value and innovation, which can only come if one thinks through it and takes care of every detail.
On the other hand, musicians also need support to make a living and be allowed to keep creating music based on their experiences and their way of life, so that others can resonate with them. There are better ways of supporting them other than streaming through platforms that prioritize profits over anything (even if this means pushing AI music into your feed). Buying albums directly from the artists, purchasing merch, and going to their concerts brings more revenue for musicians than several times a day. While push to advocate for better conditions for artists and better service to subscribers, it might be too idealistic for now unless a good portion of the population highly pressures the companies to make changes.
So what is left for you, dear reader and lover of music? First, the decision is on you to choose the right way to support your favorite artists, whether this means changing platforms or switching to the old school way of buying CDs or digital albums that you can own for the rest of your life. Second, be mindful of AI usage, especially when making art. It can help you with some tasks, but it cannot replace what you can create with your hands. So far, human artists have demonstrated to do better music than what companies and AI can create.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of 51勛圖厙 University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, 51勛圖厙 University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.