My kids hate AI generated music. They really hate AI musicians like Xania Monet.
But they aren’t sure what to make of Dr. Dre’s latest admission that he uses AI to produce songs.
He compared AI to synthesizers and drum machines. He claimed many of his peers use AI in secret, and that only people “who have trouble creating” are afraid of AI.
I see Dre’s point, but I have questions:
What’s the line between AI as a support tool and a replacement for humans? Fixing reverb is one thing but AI background vocals are another.
If a human artist hums a 10-second tune and AI generates the rest, is that AI or human?
Should we mandate use of the industry’s new “AI-generated” vs. “AI-assisted” watermarks?
I grew up on classic rock: The Stones, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, The Eagles. I can’t imagine AI making “Dark Side of the Moon.” But Pink Floyd made “On the Run” by running notes through a synthesizer. Meanwhile, Queen stamped “No Synthesizers” on their album sleeves.
The question my kids most wrestled with:
If your favorite artist, say Kendrick Lamar or Taylor Swift, can make more music using AI, is that a good thing?