Toto We’re Not In Kansas Anymore
The natural way of the world is for organisms to evolve, with human beings being a prime example. We’ve managed to morph from individuals with limited speech and lithics to individuals with advanced thought processes and understanding of extreme technology. It’s no wonder that as time continues so does technological advancement and its integration into everyday life. However, I wonder if such is the reason that we as a society are beginning to become desensitized to the overconsumption and integration of AI. It’s no longer being used as an intellectual tool, but as a creator of art. And no, I’m not just talking about the production of little avatars for a profile picture.
As of late, there have been more instances in which people are using AI to generate music and personas for fictional musicians and advertising the music as their own creation to audiences. A popular example of this issue is Xania Monet. The creator of the artificial musician, recently explained that the AI persona is her means of expressing her creativity and sharing her story. I don’t mean to be close minded, but I think one of the most beautiful things about humanity is the way the mind and spirit works to produce emotion through fine arts, dancing, and music. These creations are then shared between cultures, ultimately strengthening the bond between peoples. I can’t help but feel as though the use of AI takes away from that beauty as the act lacks the need for creativity. Not to mention, AI is not producing the voice of these AI artists from thin air. The programs are utilizing the voices of human singers and merging them together to produce one voice.
In my opinion, the existence and use of AI singers connects directly to Haraway’s concept of the cyborg. We’re witnessing a direct blur between humanity and technology in the form of art, and more and more it’s becoming harder to separate humanness from the inanimate nature of technology. For instance, if one puts lyrics into a program and simply asks the program to produce a voice, is it still that artist? Or what if one simply asks an algorithm to create both lyrics and a voice based on a prompt, is it fair to say that the art produced belongs to the human or does it belong to the AI? Even more so, would it even be art if it substantially lacks the influence of a human being.? I think about this often.
Once again I don’t want to be closed minded but I can’t say that it isn’t concerning and overwhelming to see just how much AI is becoming integrated into our norms. In this specific case, it makes me wonder what music will look like in the future. There are people, who work their whole lives to be noticed for their music, taking the time to train their voice and hone their craft and yet they never have the privilege of seeing their dream come to light. And now, you have artificial musicians being produced and receiving record deals as if they aren’t inanimate objects. Will that be the future? A future where those who live and breathe music are no longer fortunate enough to produce it, to be recognized for it. I feel as though AI is the easy way out for so many people. They use artificial intelligence as a crutch, refusing to do the work for themselves and to pour their essence into the things they love, instead relying on an algorithm. There just seems to be a lack of genuineness.
So far, there has been some legislation being drafted in order to monitor and decrease the abuse of AI in music. The law mostly focuses on the AI regeneration of music that resembles the music of artists. So in retrospect, there will definitely be those who oppose the usage of AI in music, but I fear that wouldn’t be enough. There are a plethora of consequences of AI that threaten more than just the authenticity and creativity of music, but the actual livelihoods of marginalized individuals. Even with such consequences being shared, there is still continued development of AI programs and data centers. So I guess only time will tell. But for now, we’re in a place far from what we’re used to. Far from home.
*AI was not used in any way to generate this post. This includes formatting, the organization of ideas, as well as the gathering of sources.
Citations:
Hight, J. (2024). AI music isn’t going away. Here are 4 big questions about what’s next. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/04/25/1246928162/generative-ai-music-law-technology
Voynovskaya, N. (2025). AI Is Coming for the Music Industry. How Will Artists Adapt? Kqed.org. https://www.kqed.org/arts/13982572/ai-is-coming-for-the-music-industry-how-will-artists-adapt