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AI-generated music and sound-alikes: Shaping the future of the music industry
Advancements in AI are set to revolutionize many industries, and the world of music is no exception. Already, artists are using the technology to augment their writing processes and experiment with unconventional melodies, harmonies and rhythms. For example, French musician and composer SKYGGE, worked with Sony CSL’s Flow Machines AI program on his album Hello World. Flow Machines generated musical patterns that SKYGGE then incorporated into his compositions. Similarly, the American band YACHT used Colab Notebooks – specifically, the MusicVAE model from Google’s Magenta – to co-write and produce songs for their album “Chain Tripping.” The software responded to the band’s musical inputs, providing suggestions and improvisations that influenced the songwriting process.
AI in the entertainment and media sector part 2
These examples demonstrate how artists can use AI as a creative tool, leveraging its capabilities to inspire and enhance their songwriting process. The technology can also be used by those without musical experience or recording equipment, making it easier for everyone to explore their creativity through music. In a recent statement regarding AI, Peter Gabriel, an artist and original member of Genesis, commented:
“There are amazing creative possibilities opening up with AI that are really exciting and transformative. I felt the same sort of buzz when computers came into music, giving us samplers and rhythm machines, which, in turn, opened up new worlds of music making.”
As AI-generated music and sound-alikes become more prevalent, collaboration between musicians and AI systems will likely become the norm.
However, many artists are far less optimistic about the future involvement of AI systems in music creation. For example, in a May 2023 interview with the BBC, musician Sting commented:
“The building blocks of music belong to us, to human beings. That’s going to be a battle we all have to fight in the next couple of years: defending our human capital against AI.”
Setting aside the artistic arguments in favor of using AI systems, the recent advancements in the quality of these systems have sparked interest at the highest levels of the music industry, in particular, the accessibility of user-friendly AI apps and services for everyday users. A prime example is “Heart On My Sleeve” by Ghostwriter, an AI-generated track that featured vocals bearing an uncanny resemblance to Drake and The Weeknd. While concerns surrounding AI have likely been on the radar of major labels for some time, the level of success and engagement achieved by an AI-generated song took everyone by surprise.
AI music generation also seems likely to challenge traditional business models in the music industry. AI can accelerate the process of creating and releasing a song – some AI models can generate a song at the touch of a single button. This means that there may soon be a significant number of new AI-generated songs on the market. With the rising quality of AI-generated music, these songs may soon flood our playlists too. This could present a challenge for music labels and publishers, as it could accelerate market share loss.
The combination of quality, access and user appetite for AI-generated music has forced major labels to scramble to form a strategy to protect their investments. This has taken several forms, from threatening the developers of AI systems against using their recordings to train algorithms to exerting pressure on streaming services and lobbying lawmakers. Reminiscent of the early days of Napster and the proliferation of peer-to-peer music-sharing services, with the AI genie out of the bottle, will it be too little, too late?
There has been a keen focus by music rightsholders on both the so-called “input“ and “output“ stages of AI systems. On the input side, major labels have been unequivocal in warning developers of AI systems that they intend to take action against anyone who trains algorithms using their recordings. Furthermore, in March 2023, more than 40 organizations from across the music, sports, film, journalism, and other industries, including the Recording Industry of America, SAG-AFTRA, SESAC, and SoundExchange, launched the Human Artistry Campaign (HAC). This campaign aims to ensure that the use of copyrighted works by AI developers and users requires authorization and licensing and that governments do not allow for copyright exemptions that would permit the exploitation of copyrighted works for AI training without permission or compensation. Significantly, HAC’s membership base increased by 50% in just one month from its launch, demonstrating the level of concern across creative industries surrounding AI models. In the section, Why the AI sector has a training problem, we explore in further detail the copyright implications of training and territorial differences in approaches as governments race to attract AI talent and investment.
The output side is no less complex. We explore further in the IP: Copyright section if works solely produced by AI (as opposed to AI assisting human creators) will receive copyright protection. Further, the emergence of AI sound-alikes, where tools are used to synthesize voices to imitate famous artists, has been increasingly visible on streaming services and social media. It has triggered a spirited debate involving artists, industry executives, fans, and lawyers. AI-generated sound-alikes are typically not created using samples or snippets of existing recordings. Rather, these sound-alike recordings are generated independently using AI tools trained to recreate a specific voice. This reality renders ownership of the original sound recording’s copyright somewhat powerless, as the newly recorded material is not a direct copy of an existing work. In response to this gap in copyright law, consideration must be given to the rights of publicity, which can safeguard a celebrity’s name, image, likeness, voice, and other unique personal attributes from unauthorized commercial use. However, the legal landscape is diverse and often complicated, as we explore further in the Geopolitics of AI section.
The surge of AI-generated sound-alikes presents an array of legal, ethical, and practical challenges. This situation echoes the issues surrounding sync rights and short-form user-generated content platforms. With this new wave of technology, will the music industry persist in an endless cycle of takedown requests, apply pressure on digital service providers with new restrictions in licensing agreements, and push for legal reform, or will it adapt to and find ways to profit from this new wave of creative output?
One approach that some have suggested is that artists could actively engage with this technology themselves, creating their own AI voice models for use in various commercial contexts. This could open up new opportunities for monetization, allowing artists (or even investors in the space) to license their voices for use in anything from virtual concerts to AI-created fan experiences. Indeed, some artists and estates have already begun exploring these avenues, with the holographic performances of deceased artists like Roy Orbison and Tupac Shakur as well as live artists, like ABBA, offering glimpses of what could be possible.
However, such a model would likely require the placement of significant legal protections to ensure artists retain control over their voice and can prevent its misuse. It would also raise additional questions about how revenue would be distributed. Would revenue from AI-generated performances be treated like royalties from cover versions, or more like revenue from merchandise or brand endorsements?
As AI continues to evolve, it will undoubtedly transform the music industry in both positive and challenging ways. The key will be finding a balance that allows for innovation while respecting the rights and contributions of human artists. The future may hold a mix of AI-generated and human-crafted music, with collaborations between artists and algorithms becoming the norm. Ultimately, the human element of creativity and expression will always be at the heart of music, and AI will serve as a powerful tool to amplify and expand artistic possibilities.