Music revolution: how AI could change the industry forever

It can write the lyrics, it can generate vocals and set them to music.
But can AI really hold a tune?
Leading musicians and voice artists have told us that artificial intelligence platforms have stolen voices without consent - while the software is evolving faster than the efforts to keep up.
The Equity union says a proper framework is needed to control it.
As part of our new series AI Watch - examining the future of artificial intelligence - we look at the impact it's already having on music.
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[@jimmy7434]

I always think you’d be pretty dull to prefer music/films/books etc created by ai, but younger generations probably won’t hold the same values. I’m prepared to be left behind.

[@TheVRSofa]

Also....that doesn't sound like Freddie XD that sounds like adel. Lol

[@m19chenzo]

For the people that are for AI, you clearly havent seen Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

[@CS-zn4bu]

Or TRON (the Master Control Program!)

[@Known-unknowns]

I have. What’s your point ? AI is real, Terminator is fantasy .

[@Mike_TGL]

Maybe a lot of modern music is so similar, it's far too easy for a computer to replicate it? Ever think of that?

[@logbia7k608]

Yes, we have become lazy with creativity, now computers can make it in seconds lol

[@audiolego]

The Weekend is actually AI. You guys didn't know that.

[@johnmcmorris4035]

0:06 Reporter: this may sound like Freddie Mercury.... Listener: huh!?!

[@mecd4167]

It Absolutely will. Ai is coming for everything.

[@Dungshoveleux]

AI will pit the human race out of business.

[@tjmarx]

Millennials and zoomers are already doing that.

[@burrrrrrrrrrrrrrp]

If AI kills all the commercial rubbish that has been pumped out over the last few decades.. I’m all for it 🤞🏻I mean things couldn’t get any worse

[@jamesjohnston7916]

Yeah mate cause computer-generated music made by a literal robot won't sound manufactured, soulless or commercial at all will it? Muppet.

[@Dogtroll]

The big problem with A.I. generated music and literature is the fact that 100% of their works are sampled. None of it is original, so how are you supposed to treat these works of "art"?

[@live_monkey2485]

That's true for now. But much of human music isn't truly original. Styles, chord progressions, drum beats and techniques, etc... they are all passed down the generations and influence musicians. Artists (e.g. Oasis) are inspired by previous generations (the Beatles). It won't be long before AI responds and reacts to music just like any modern human musician - it will be able to create 'original' pieces inspired by previous works - which is all what most humans do anyway.

[@kk-xj5oz]

In the end copyright rules are Bs. All we learn we learn from others we just put it together and make it our own. In the end knowledge is borrowed not owned

[@tjmarx]

What about someone's voice? Is that borrowed or owned?

[@kk-xj5oz]

@CL-eg8mb that's a lie you had art and culture way before you had a wide spread economic system. Art came long before money

[@kk-xj5oz]

@CL-eg8mb of course huge and expensive art projects will be harder to accomplish. I'm not against people profiting from their art I am against people profiting from non physical ideas.

[@Gnarrkhaz]

@CL-eg8mb Art will always be there. Money has nothing to do with it. The idea that financial incentives are required in order to have innovation is and will always be a fairy tale.

[@rok1475]

AI lacks imagination. I am yet to see a new, original idea generated by AI. All we see so far is rehashing of what already existed.

[@businessmanager7670]

exact same as humans. rehashing what already exists from the information they learn from. when humans create a new idea, it emerges from existing knowledge. so who told you that ai has not created new original stuff just like humans lol? we see a lot of cry babies like you commenting around with zero evidence to support your statements. on the other hand ai has already made novel ideas and discoveries. it's all supported academically and papers are published on it. cry all you want lol 😂. debunked.

[@kamu747]

That's what the AI user is there for, to use their own imagination as they use the tool to create original work.

[@lade5]

The music industry doesn't want or need to deal with disrupters like Taylor Swift, while I personally support her admittedly noble intent to ensure more favorable terms for artists, to the labels that's bad for business .With technology eroding their ability to gatekeep access to distribution and superstardom ,why waste energy raising new talent when you can use trained AI models to imitate the voice works of deceased legendary artists and create new AI content under your complete control as you own their masters. Which if I'm to be sincere is some dystopian s**t right there,

[@SteadyEddy-ko9po]

But it didn't sound like Freddie Mercury...

[@QuantumNaut]

AI will advance no matter what and will replace many jobs in every industry

[@imeldacabornay2149]

Sad but true.

[@nateabbo7108]

AI will never takeaway the underground scenes. In those authenticity is king

[@williamk6605]

Yeah but the underground isn’t where the big money is.

[@smccarthy945]

You’re in denial. AI is going to kill music. It’s making better music than humans can make and it will continue to get better.

[@tristanpoort6297]

The irony of asking a producer who uses extensively autotune and samples and electronically stored instrument sounds whether AI is threatening his business is just… Let’s ask actual musicians

[@markbright662]

Lol what’re you on about, I suppose you’d categorise someone strumming the same old guitar chords as a ‘real musician’ - nonsense

[@LucienYorg]

XD

[@chunkymonkey3957]

@@markbright662 That would be my view. A 'real musician' is someone who can compose their own songs from scratch, yes they may use known chords (and may drop in a few experimental new ones), but they have the total freedom to how they play it and every time they play it, it may be slightly different (or human sounding). Sampled and autotuned music mostly sounds cold and emotionless, so I get why they interviewed that guy, his job is in threat. He's a programmer, so is the AI.

[@phia_sky_]

old man yells at cloud

[@jurassicthunder]

​@@chunkymonkey3957you clearly don't know how producers make music. Everything you mentioned they already do it, it's just the tech is different, guitars are techs too.

[@Anthony-wm5of]

The fight against learning 😂

[@volvofreak86]

Ai can break copyright rules and work around regulations, ai "art" is one of them but i don't like it, i prefer something that has been created by a real artist, same with music

[@domr8796]

Surely it’s illegal for au craters to use other people’s voices without consent? I don’t understand how it doesn’t breach copyright

[@hanselmansell7555]

Humans make music, AI makes music based on human music, humans play AI music based on human music, AI music is everywere, AI then makes music based on AI music, humans then get bored...

[@smccarthy945]

You’re in denial man.

[@Random_JapGuy]

It's like fighting Piratebay,

[@arthurdiaz9184]

Spotify makes 100’s of millions a month & pays artists peanuts.

[@arthurdiaz9184]

Everyone seems to be really worried about AI. How about the music industry, record labels RIPPING OFF artists! That’s been going on for years. They are the best rip off artists of all! Because they do it legally!

[@dangerzone6481]

I enjoy it seeing goku or other anime or cartoon characters sing these songs is awesome id rather listen to the ai version than the origonal

[@DarthTrotter]

AI can only be better than Drake

[@Kody-hf6eh]

AI can be better than a lot of artists if they don't have any real talent.

[@jurassicthunder]

everyone is better than drake

[@Noidonteatbabiesstopasking]

Maybe I’m stupid but that just sounds like Adele

[@Timbochop]

Trying to contain this is like trying to contain the covid outbreak. It's already over.

[@fernandocarrillo357]

No that's what copyright registrations for , licenses cover to be able to do mixtapes....all certified..wish my voice was on AI

[@northlanedarko771]

Is it just songs that have beats ect . Like could ai make a new norvana song seeing its instruments ,chords ect i dont think so

[@TheVRSofa]

Only if their music is bad XD

[@currentphonograph7487]

Bottom line. Musicians will make zero money so nothing changes

[@BetaBuxDelux]

AI has to learn to. It’s just faster at it.

[@amnesia9231]

For all the bad that was focused on this news segment. I, as a comic book artist have been using the AI collaboratively to create an engaging story (with specific input variables tailored to my taste) with which to create a framework for my comic book projects. Writing organically might take weeks, even months to do but I was able to create the skeleton within a day or two and concentrate on what really matters (and I can always train the AI to recreate a scene or just manually edit myslef). The artwork. It's a tool much like anything else, noone is going to judge you if you use a professional fishing rod or a wooden harpoon. My advice if you're in the creative industry is to adapt. The existence of digital drawing pads didn't obsolete traditional drawing neither did the photograph obsolete painting.

[@mattbrown-mb]

Once you have collaborated with AI and developed it to the stage it can do the work required, it won't need your input anymore.

[@live_monkey2485]

I think you are being naive. Look at all the jobs that aleady *have* been replaced by computers (self-scan checkouts in supermarkets, customer service call centre roles, etc...) and many of these don't even incorporate the use of true AI. You mention paintings. Well, over the next few years, true AI will be the equivalent of the paint brush picking itself up and levitating while it creates a painting all by itself. It won't need any input or direction from you - just a request or suggestion from the customer. Why would anyone need to pay a human painter? The greed of industries using the power of AI will side line millions of people to save money. Put it this way, there's a good reason why head people have quit Google in protest to AI. There is a good reason why tech giants such as Elon musk have signed an open letter to governments asking them to curb or tax the development of AI. AI will be much more than just a 'tool', and even relatively basic tools have taken millions of jobs in the last 100 years.

[@jonc8561]

why stop there, just use mid journey to create the art too? Don't be a hypocrite.

[@DoFeedThePigeons]

Let’s hope people like this are put out of business 🎉 I hate these fake musicians

[@spilln01]

Well it will be like autotune when everyone will gone use it! but music is an art, a skill of talent, do you take that away and what you are left with is an imitation of a very bad painting, but then again most people won't care less !! it will become easier to make productions and earn more its really like always about money

[@businessmanager7670]

no it isn't. it can create new ideas from scratch if you ask it to do so. so new music with new style and new modified voice. it can already do so when it comes to art.

[@dyce211]

Can AI show up at a concert and rock the crowd

[@flavionesz1374]

People dont really care if they live a """ fake reality """ , we alredy got a michael jakson concert with hologram and hatnuni miko concerts.

[@jurassicthunder]

​@@flavionesz1374no we do i never wanna see Michael jackson hologram concert or some anime concert

[@bp7495]

So what if a dead artist's voice is simulated?

[@tjmarx]

Who owns the copyright to that voice? If the estate still own the copyright to their living works, does the estate also own the copyright to the voice?

[@bp7495]

@@tjmarx well this then begs the question of whether a voice or likeness can be copyrighted. People can look and sound very similar - especially twins!

[@tjmarx]

@@bp7495 That's the very point David Holt is making. Can his own his own voice? If AI duplicates it based on training done on samples of his voice without his knowledge or consent, does the AI company owe him anything? What about if the company you work for records your voice in the workplace or even in a public place, can they sell those recordings to an AI company to offer on their platform without compensation to you or even your consent? Edit: If the answer is no, you can not own your voice or your likeness then what part of yourself can you own, and what differentiates you from a slave? If AI can duplicate your voice or performance without consent or restriction, what even is human expression? Perhaps more importantly, if it's legal to duplicate your voice or likeness without consent what implications does that have on financial security and your livelihood? It would mean anyone could legally acquire your voice and pretend to be you over the phone legally so long as they never explicitly claimed to be you. What impact do you think that might have on banking? House sales? Corporate security? Journalism? Etc.

[@bp7495]

@@tjmarx Good point. My point is regarding specifically the deceased. Certainly living, working artists need to get fair attribution and payment.

[@tjmarx]

@@bp7495 Copyright law pushes copyright to the copyright holders estate for 70 years following their death. So if the estate own their other rights, why wouldn't they also own their voice and likeness if those became copyrighted assets living artists owned?

[@BlondeDudeGaming]

I think people will start to specifically desire no-AI generated music

[@ronoc9]

Same. My concern is if human made work becomes artisan and can only be enjoyed by the wealthy, like how organic food or eco-friendly living becomes status symbol for those who can afford it.

[@tjmarx]

Zero chance. All music will be AI driven the industry is embracing the tools. Their concerns aren't around the existence of these tools, they mean less work and cheaper productions thus more profit. What they care about is copyright, royalties and licencing. For example, should pro tools AI vocals synth be allowed to mimic Michael Jackson, Drake or whoever without paying a licencing fee to that artist. Should works made with that vocal synth be allowed to be exhibited publicly or for profit without paying royalties? It's MP3 peer-2-peer downloads all over again. They're happy about the technology, the people on top just want their cut.

[@uwotmate-d3m]

No. People will just generate their own tailor made music and musicians will become a thing of the past.

[@darthstarone3532]

No way AI is not that advanced program it still has problems with complex durming but one day it be better 🤔

[@mauriciolizarbe4835]

it because of chinese AI

[@wendywolfman]

Why is he wearing a baseball cap indoors? Bizarre.

[@kamu747]

Because he is using it as a fashion accessory. Nothing bizarre about that.

[@RRAREBEAR]

We’re talking about human created artificial technology coming along and stealing everybody’s job, but his BASEBALL CAP is what’s bizarre? 🤣

[@LucienYorg]

When you do music for money or fame, it ruins the real reason we started playing music in the first place. Do it because you love it. You will probably write some of the best stuff you ever have.

[@2ru2pacFan]

I agree

[@SA-ff9uc]

It's no different from Ned Sherrin butchering a Marvin Gay tune.

[@johndwyer3601]

Not as quickly as the Cough Bed Jab can.

[@johndwyer3601]

Just remember Chunk Berry co-wrote "Surfin' U.S.A."

[@kalui96]

if the AI music happens to be better than the humans it's a skill issue and they deserve it, really. Listen to any rappers lyrics today and you'll instantly lose compassion for them. The only ever rap about flexing and stomping on people

[@benfoot2477]

You sound like you don't care much about music if soulless music is just as good to you or better than that made by humans. You also don't sound like you know much about rappers either. There's a huge spectrum of styles and content.

[@kalui96]

@@benfoot2477 yeah rappers are a stain on society and keep the poor poorer longer

[@benfoot2477]

No point repeating myself

[@kalui96]

@@benfoot2477 cuz that's all you got

[@valmal2659]

@@kalui96 Keep the poor poorer? have you bothered to look at any politicians? wheres your source?

[@avismusicofficial.]

Ban ai

[@machiavellian7490]

Is wicked bruv innit Dixiefried style

[@jamessmith84240]

Proper music and the scene it existed in starved to death a long time ago. Since 2000 it's just gone down and down. No one is listening to the same stuff any more because everyone is off in their own world. We might as well just have AI create music for our own personal tastes and stop kidding ourselves.

[@chrisdoe6890]

Once Elon gets the chip in our brain and hooked up to Starkink it won’t matter . We will all be able to sing like anyone we like. Our vocal chords will be programmed lol😊

[@israeldiegoriveragenius2th164]

Do not comply. No to vaccine passports, no to mandatory vaccines. No to masks, no to tests, a total disgrace

[@camstanley]

you're abit late there mate

[@cetGT3]

I really hope it puts the rappers out of business 😂 another blow another struggle 😂…with their crappy talent

[@cartoonandgamefanatic2.019]

Like hate rap all you want but people shouldn't lose their jobs to ai. Like what happened to not listening to the artist or voting with your wallet?

[@eamonnsiocain6454]

Repetitive, boilerplate music is easily automated.

[@tube.brasil]

Rappers and hip hoppers are not musicians or artists. Or unique! 😂

[@smccarthy945]

The millions that buy and listen to hip hop would disagree.

[@ffugooglesuxdk9792]

is ch4 slow or something? it's not ai, it's machine learning MORO/NS