Artificial Intelligence in Music - What Does This All Mean?

Introduction?

Advances in AI software programs have made it easier than ever to generate art, stories, memes, music, and more! It is as simple as pushing a few buttons; simply input a text description of the desired theme, mood, characters, genre, etc. into the software program and magic will conspire to create an original yet striking form of artistry. The rise of AI in the music industry is developing daily as it is one of the fastest-moving advancements, and on platforms like TikTok and Youtube, new viral videos and audio are released using this technology for multiple uses by the second. Throughout the history of recorded music, advancements in technology have presented many challenges and new opportunities when it comes to being creatively expressive. Because AI can create content for free without the input of human emotion, it threatens the artistry of music as a whole, as well as those who work in the music industry.? Will AI ultimately benefit songwriters, composers, recording artists, and owners of copyrights in musical compositions and recordings? Or, will it challenge the value of human creativity on which the music business has been built and run people out of their jobs??

What Is AI and How Is It Used in Music?

Artificial intelligence is emerging as one of the most intriguing yet concerning forms of technology. Artificial Intelligence or AI is the ability of technology to think independently like a human to use logic and critical thinking skills to answer questions, generate new art, solve mathematical equations, map out distances, create blueprints and plans, and help out with just about anything you can think of. Within the world of music, AI has entered the realm by providing all sorts of advancements to help creators nourish their creative journeys and explore sounds they never had the ability to previously encounter. On social media platforms, the latest trend has been artists covering other artists’ songs (but they never actually did) by using AI technology! By submitting vocal tracks of their favorite artists and combining them with a text description and a backing track, curators can create brand-new songs, jingles, and covers of existing pieces without having a single note sung into a recording microphone. In 2023 if you want to hear Snoop Dogg rap “Single Ladies” by Beyonce or hear Michael Jackson belt “Bohemian Rhapsody”, you can! AI does not only work to mix and match tracks, but artists can grab instrumental tracks for original pieces without having ever played that instrument. The industry is using AI to compose, master, stream, pattern predict for data, create visual art for live performances and music videos, and so much more! Through this revolution with endless possibilities come endless strings attached; whether they be good or bad.?

Purpose

So why are we discussing this? It is important to discuss how this technology will affect us so we do not blindside ourselves. Scholars argue that although it is an amazing creation, technology is like an addictive drug; you know that it is not good for you but you cannot stop using it. Although this change can be a wonderful form of convenience, we must acknowledge that the skills and talent necessary to create original content “correctly” will die out if we are not careful, and the education system as we know it will fall apart. That being said if AI is used “correctly” or with limits, it opens up a world of possibilities. Who am I to decide what those limits are, and who will be the ones to decide when we stop searching? In this essay, we will be discussing what AI is and how it is used in music, the positives of AI and its dangers, what this means for the world of law, and the role of AI in our future.?

The Benefits of the Revolution of Technology

Artificial Intelligence has made it easier for users of all ages to create professional-sounding music at a low cost. Since AI generators like ChatGPT are predominantly startups waiting to receive feedback on their user base, most programs people are using are free or at a low subscription cost. Novice artists are given the capabilities to work with software without having to be an expert in the industry. This saves money on production, music lessons, mixing courses, studio time, talent, etc. For those who aspire to be involved in the music business but are unable to play an instrument, AI now has a collection of instrumental samples and premade electronic beats up for grabs that composers can pull into their tracks without strumming a single string. Artificial Intelligence has the capacity to create new music by merging several unconventional musical components that one would never expect to marry well together. This keeps sounds fresh, unique, and trendy. Not only to be used for composing but also for industrial and administrative perks, AI software like Musiio analyzes songs for useful data including recording quality, the chances of success, and streaming patterns. The artificial brains can also think up new stage designs for live performances, curate personalized Spotify playlists, and even find rising stars. Warner Music Group purchased a start-up that contains an algorithm that analyzes social, broadcast, and touring data to expose emerging talent, while back in 2018, Apple purchased Asaii to assist in improving their artists and repertoire. Production companies have recently become more accepting of AI technology because of its reduction of cost and legal ease when it comes to matters of music licensing fees and complicated music clearance processes.

It is safe to say that AI can not only help those in the industry, but those outside of it as well. Students, music teachers, and music therapists are among just some of the groups AI has been able to help transform the lives of through its accommodating innovations. The assist provides them with the ability to study the trends of music and find new combinations that bring attraction and ease to their listeners. This will also revolutionize the world of music theory and what we consider to be the “rules” of theory, and where we can make exceptions.

Dangers of AI in the Music Industry

Music production was once a time when artists, managers, and producers would commence in recording studios and collaborate with incredible talent accompanied by live orchestras to create an original piece. It required hard work, dedication, talent, time, practice, and skill. AI is not only taking the careers of vocal artists, instrumentalists, and producers, but it is also robbing fans of real collaborations. The most viral AI song today is a track that was produced using notorious rapper Drake’s vocals. AI was able to track streaming patterns and collect data predictability about what will be the next viral tune and created a song that the youth has on repeat. Emerging as one of the most intriguing, fascinating, and attractive advances, the youth will not stop until their newest track goes viral. Now the world has all that it needs in order to do this at its fingertips, leaving artists and studios with nothing to do but watch in fear as their money slips away. Unfortunately, the quicker technology advances, the quicker we must adapt. Firms in the industry must prepare for these changes or their companies will be outdated and fall under. The constant game of “catch-up” is led by AI and the industry leaders and music professionals of the world are left to run behind. Let us ponder the ways in which modern music has nearly diminished classical music and live orchestras with software technology. If we are not careful, the demand for live concerts, theatre, album purchasing, music videos, merchandise, and celebrity morale will fade altogether with AI at our disposal. Soon, the current ways of producing music will be history and the future will be programmed and predictable, overlooking the need for the emotional web between song, artist, and listener.

Another emerging issue that is a result of AI technology would be the education system. Why would children have the patience to sit down and learn how to play the piano when they know they can use the computer to generate the desired sound for them in a fraction of the time? Or, if they do choose to learn an instrument, they could do so completely virtually with an AI assist and would not need to pay a tutor or pianist. Music teachers, student vocal performers, band members, and choirs will all lose sight of which occupational route to take due to the ever-changing curriculum and lack of necessity for their positions. Through my recently conducted research, music students in my university have reported the need for hard-learned skills is slipping away, and that a place for them in the business world is mitigating rapidly. As these problems emerge, more stem from them. For example, the uselessness of live performers, audio engineers, and set designers would mean no jobs for them, a decline in performance attendance, a descent in teaching their crafts in schools, the loss of jobs for professors and musical directors, the reduction of using real instruments and vocal techniques, the diminishment of live music, and an overall turnover of what it means to make music as we know it today; with personality, originality, and love.?

How AI is Testing the Law

Critical issues that come to mind when discussing artificial intelligence are the ambiguity in the music industry surrounding procedures like copyright infringement, rights of publicity, credit laws, etc. How will we know who to give credit to? Will virtual pop stars gain royalties? Will artists gain a fraction of payment if their sound was sampled, or will whoever generated the piece be recognized? Will the software they used to create the sound have restrictions on sharing and selling the tracks? These are just some of the emerging questions asked about the rise of AI in music. Those at home who are listening from behind their screens as the world transforms right in front of their ears are even inquisitive about how the law will function now. Currently, copyright law has lots of ins, outs, and loopholes with exceptions and limitations that can be studied very carefully, yet the addition of AI complicates the already heavily entangled statutes on which music law rides.?

Copyright protection covers three fundamental criteria; originality, work of authorship, and fixed in tangible form. When discussing originality, the law argues that minimal originality is needed in order for a piece to be approved which is why we hear so many remixes of the same songs, and why AI can mix and master however it likes. Work of authorship means the work must be accredited to its creator. In the court case Naruto vs Slater when a monkey in the wild took selfie photographs on a camera he found owned by Slater, Slater nearly faced copyright infringement because he did not own the material or the animal, but because it was ruled animals do not have copyright rights, he was able to win and donate 25% of commission to charities. AIs are not legal human beings, and therefore, have yet to receive any rights to creative works. If a computer-generated hit goes viral and computers do not have rights, who gets the credit? Where there is proven substantial human input on a piece curated using AI technology, there is potential for a lawsuit. However, because this issue is emerging, we are at a standstill. The US Copyright Office recently ruled that AI art and music cannot be copyrighted as it is "not the product of human authorship" and artists are concerned for the future of their careers and reputations. You would think that if an artist’s sound was being used in any form they would be accredited, however, if AI is used for background music in clips and film, then those creators do not need to pay the artists any royalties and the artists would lose money. When understanding the lawsuits that cover the use of celebrities’ voices for deep fakes, interviews, and song covers, there is the constitution for a violation of their right of publicity or personality rights. However, because of “fair use” laws and the lack of copyright laws for AI, these voices can be used to an extent, and it depends upon if it is an exact replica claiming to be this celebrity or simply a parody. As the law is up in the air, artists are scrambling to create original content and fight for a way to protect themselves due to the lack of laws on AI. Creators must tread lightly when exploring this new technology, and the US Copyright Office must act quickly to devise a plan to protect artists, engineers, and composers.?

AI in Our Futures, My Take, and Conclusion

As of now, AI is receiving both backlash and appreciation. People are overjoyed and humored to hear their favorite artists in a new light, however, people are also aware of the concerns AI brings. My first interaction with AI was on TikTok, and I will admit, I was excited. During my scrolling journey, I landed upon a video of Ariana Grande covering SZA’s hit song “Kill Bill.” Fans of Ariana have not heard any new content for over a year, and now that AI is in the picture, fans are able to take her voice and create new songs and cover old ones. Initially, I had a strike of excitement run through my brain, like this is a gift from God that I can now use to my advantage; followed by the feeling of doom and fear that Ariana will be out of a job, and the originality of human artistry will be lost forever. During this emotional rollercoaster of a five-second period, about a hundred new AI-curated hit songs were released into the internet, and I realized that music as we know it will never be the same again. On the one hand, as a music major AI can benefit me because I do not play an instrument fluently. On the other hand, I feel like everything I have learned so far is being thrown out the window, and I too will be playing “catch up” with the rest of the industry.?

The future of AI brings lots more questions: will there be AI celebrities, will we continue to explore how AI works, or will we ever learn to quit? I am interested to see how copyright law officials conclude on the issue, and how social media platforms and artists will respond to these new changes. What do you think? Will AI become something to be feared, or is it a gift that we can use advantageously in the near future?

References

Awards, I. M. (2023, January 28). Music and AI: The Pros, Cons, and Ethical Implications. InterContinental Music Awards. https://www.intercontinentalmusicawards.com/music-and-ai-the-pros-cons-and-ethical-implications/?

Broberg, C., Doshoris, I., & Van De Haar, I. (n.d.). How Artificial Intelligence is changing The Relationship between The Consumer and Brand in The Music Industry. (2019) https://lup.lub.lu.se/luur/download?func=downloadFile&recordOId=9007033&fileOId=9007091

Clancy, M. (2021, January 29). Reflections on the Financial and Ethical Implications of Music Generated by Artificial Intelligence. Www.tara.tcd.ie. https://www.tara.tcd.ie/handle/2262/94880?

Davies, Eilien 2023: The Rise Of Artificial Intelligence In Music. (n.d.). Still Listening. Retrieved April 27, 2023, from https://www.stilllisteningmagazine.com/features/2023-the-rise-of-artificial-intelligence-in-music#:~:text=There%20are%20some%20potential%20dangers?

Mantaras, R. L. de, & Arcos, J. L. (2002). AI and Music: From Composition to Expressive Performance. AI Magazine, 23(3), 43–43. https://doi.org/10.1609/aimag.v23i3.1656?

Sobel, Benjamin (n.d.). Heinonline.org. Retrieved April 27, 2023, from https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/cjla41&id=52&men_tab=srchresults?

Sturm, B. L. T., Iglesias, M., Ben-Tal, O., Miron, M., & Gómez, E. (2019). Artificial Intelligence and Music: Open Questions of Copyright Law and Engineering Praxis. Arts, 8(3), 115. https://doi.org/10.3390/arts8030115