French DJ and EDM producer David Guetta has recently sparked a major debate in the music industry regarding the use of artificial intelligence, which goes way beyond sampling.
In a video he shared on his Youtube channel yesterday, Guetta played a track at one of his sets that utilized an AI software to synthesize Eminem’s voice. Check out the video below first.
The video was captioned, “Let me introduce you to… Emin-AI-em,” showing Guetta hyping up the crowd with an unreleased track that features a replica of Eminem’s voice. The DJ was later interviewed in the video, where he explained how the remix was created.
David Guetta Just Opened Pandora’s Box
Guetta stated that he asked an AI (presumably ChatGPT or similar) to compose lyrics in the style of Eminem about future rave, then used another AI platform to recreate the rapper’s voice. The result was a success, as the crowd went wild after hearing the AI-generated track.
Guetta was quick to clarify that he won’t be commercially distributing the song, though this did not stop the debate surrounding the legality of using AI-produced versions of an artist’s voice and lyrics without their consent. This is significant because, in the AI art sector, AI-generated images can now be monetized legally.
Recently, AI-generated content has become increasingly popular on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, with fans using AI software to make songs sound as if they are being sung by other artists. Below is a video of Ariana Grande covering the song Kill Bill by SZA, except Ariana had nothing to do with it.
UPDATE: The video has finally been removed from YouTube
The Ariana cover didn’t generate as much buzz, mostly because the producer wasn’t well-known, unlike Guetta. Regardless, the video showcases the potential for voice replicators to be utilized for nefarious purposes, such as impersonating artists and taking credit for their work.
Forget Ariana and Eminem, they’ll be fine. Emerging artists, on the other hand, who are still building their careers are at risk of having their voices replicated without their knowledge or permission.
This could have serious consequences for their originality, reputation, and livelihood; with the music industry already ruthless as is.
While some artists have expressed their disapproval of the technology, the conversations and debates are still ongoing among listeners.
Some believe “we’ve reached new heights” while others say that the “future is dark [and that] humans are f*ckd.”
Eminem has yet to react.
We’re Just Getting Started with AI
Guetta’s stunt highlights the rise of generative AI, particularly ChatGPT, which was created by unicorn startup OpenAI and is gaining widespread popularity, boasting an unprecedented hundred million users in two months.
The chatbot has the ability to hold human-like conversations, give answers to queries on any subject, and even create lyrics based on simple text inputs. It’s part of a technology called large language models (LLMs).
On the other hand, Deepfake media, which is a technology that allows anyone to imitate other people’s likenesses, is already starting to stir problems across the Internet. Even Hollywood is adopting the technology in movie production, even if it could potentially spell its demise.
And now, there are major concerns surrounding AI and its impact on the music industry. The legal ramifications of using AI-generated voices and lyrics are yet to be sorted out, causing anxiety among vocalists and other musicians.
Despite the controversies, Guetta’s experiment also calls into question the future direction of the music industry. With technology advancing at an unprecedented pace, it remains to be seen how it will adapt and evolve in the coming years.
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