Artificial intelligence has made its way into mainstream conversations, with many focusing on its benefits. However, the music industry is becoming increasingly concerned about potential threats. In the latest Global Music Report by IFPI, music insiders emphasize that the ‘human’ element of music must remain at the forefront. Sony Music echoes this sentiment, stating that AI-synthesized voices should not replace human vocals.
AI has the potential to make our lives more efficient, entertaining, and productive, but it also brings up some interesting copyright questions. Can content created by an AI be copyrighted? And can an AI be trained on copyrighted works without limitation?
The music industry had already expressed concerns over the potential threats posed by AI before ChatGPT and other AI tools dominated the news. Last October, the RIAA identified several AI ‘vocal’ extraction tools as a looming piracy threat.
IFPI’s report acknowledges that AI presents opportunities for artists and the music industry, but stresses that the ‘human’ element must always be front and center when using AI. At the same time, the report calls for robust copyright rules and regulations to be respected.
Sony Music’s President of Global Digital Business, Dennis Kooker, sees potential in AI as a tool to work smarter and gain new insights, but not at the expense of copyrights. Kooker is particularly concerned about AI tools that can mimic artists’ voices, which have the potential to replace the human efforts of its top-grossing artists.
“In particular, we have serious concerns about the potential for AI-synthesized voice technology to be used at scale to cover songs and attempt to replace artists. This is something that we need to watch very closely,” Kooker notes.
While some may see the potential of AI-generated vocals, not everyone shares this enthusiasm. DJ David Guetta experimented with AI earlier this year, using his homebrew “Eminem” lyrics in front of a live audience, who apparently “went nuts”. However, as Guetta clarified in a follow-up tweet, he won’t release this commercially.
It is clear that the rise of AI-generated vocals raises concerns for the music industry, and robust copyright rules and regulations must be put in place to protect artists and their work. The human element must remain at the forefront of music, and AI should be seen as a tool to enhance creativity, not replace it.
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