One of the biggest debates across the world right now is what to do about artificial intelligence. While AI is undoubtedly a massive technological leap forward, millions of people across the world believe that artificial intelligence could pose a threat to their livelihoods. With recent developments within the past few years, AI has been able to create works of art, both visual and aural, that make many feel uneasy. Many worry that society will no longer rely on artists to create art, instead using AI to create it instantaneously for free.
On April 4, the Center for the Study of Popular Music hosted a panel discussion on the future of AI in music. Featured were Dr. Mitchell Green, University of Connecticut professor of Philosophy, Dr. Aaron Dial, postdoctoral research fellow at Purdue University and Dustin Ballard, creator of the “There I Ruined It” social media channel.
The three gave presentations based on their own views and personal research on the topic before holding a short Q&A discussion. Dr. Green presented a history of humanity’s relationship with automation in the arts, discussing the invention and popularization of the drum machine in the 1980s and the explosion of autotune during the late 2000s. Dr. Green also noted the misnomer of artificial intelligence, saying, “A better term is cultured intelligence,” stating that artificial intelligence isn’t exactly artificial in the same way that we think of other artificial things. He touched upon the idea of exact technical skill, being that it’s incredibly debated. John Cage’s 4’33” can be considered a high work of art — despite it being a composition consisting of just four minutes and 33 seconds of silence — while art done by AI lacks the humanistic feeling of art, even though it may be technically superior.
Dr. Dial presented his thoughts through the lens of how this advancement in technology affects African-Americans, specifically using the robotic rapper known as “FN Meka.” This robot/avatar was developed by the company Factory New and gained prominence through TikTok. Factory New had originally claimed that FN Meka’s songs and lyrics were completely generated through AI based on hundreds of thousands of other songs and albums. However, this claim was eventually proved wrong. Houston-based rapper Kyle the Hooligan announced his involvement as the sole writer and vocalist for all of FN Meka’s recorded material, resulting in Factory New finding a replacement voice immediately.
Dr. Dial’s presentation went further into the exploitation of black culture throughout history, as well as a prediction for the future. The robotic rapper was developed by a group of white businessmen, which Dr. Dial said was “eliminating the source, black people, from black culture.” He compares the exodus of black culture to eugenics, destroying the originators of one’s own identity.
Ballard, the creator of “There I Ruined It,” spoke last, ending on a more lighthearted note. Ballard touched on his own experiences with AI being crucial to his brand and some of the trouble it’s gotten him into. “There I Ruined It” can be found on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, among other social media platforms, centering around comedic vocal covers of famous singers and songs, all using the power of AI voice mimicking. One of Ballard’s videos was even used during a congressional hearing to condemn the use of AI deepfakes in music. Ballard’s work has also attracted the attention of several music conglomerates, prompting some to threaten legal action and issue takedowns of several of his videos, though, they are protected under parody law.
Another topic that Ballard delved into was the process behind making his videos. Most people tend to assume that an AI-generated voice needs no prior work, just some lyrics and a song to play in the background. This is not the case, as Ballard has to get over several hurdles to create a polished final video. Most of the voice models used in “There I Ruined It” videos are developed by Ballard himself, and he still has to provide his own singing voice so the AI has something to base off of. “When I do get criticisms online for using AI, it’s almost always about laziness,” says Ballard. He also emphasized the double standard many have for music. While a guitarist can pick up different guitars with different effects and generate completely different sounds, vocalists are expected to do with what they have, which he says is often unfair.
After the three presentations, a short Q&A was held, where some asked questions clarifying points made or posing entirely different scenarios. The three presenters had somewhat differing opinions on how to tackle the issue of AI involvement in music; however, they clearly all shared the same love and enjoyment of the art form, still showcasing some optimism about the future of the industry.