"Upon the bursting of this tech bubble, the extravagant assertions about AI in music creation will be exposed as greatly exaggerated: determining where to set the boundaries?"
In the realm of music production, artificial intelligence (AI) has made significant strides, revolutionising the way we create and compose music [1][2]. These advancements have democratised music creation, enabling both novices and professionals to produce music swiftly and efficiently without the need for extensive musical skills or expensive equipment [1][2].
AI-powered platforms, such as ElevenLabs Music, Suno AI, and Udio, convert simple text prompts into high-fidelity soundscapes and vocals, breaking down traditional barriers in music production [1][2]. Underlying these tools are deep learning models, transformers, and diffusion models, trained on vast datasets of audio, chords, and vocal samples, enabling AI to replicate various genres, styles, and vocal textures [1].
The potential benefits of AI in music production are manifold. It enhances creativity and experimentation by acting as a sounding board or collaborator, providing novel musical ideas and directions that human composers might not conceive on their own [3]. AI also boosts efficiency and accessibility by enabling rapid generation of musical content, lowering costs and enabling creators worldwide to produce and distribute music [1][2]. Moreover, AI can manipulate audio stems independently and create entirely synthetic bands or songs, pushing artistic boundaries [3][4].
However, the integration of AI in music production raises several ethical considerations. Transparency and authenticity are crucial, as undisclosed use of AI-generated music, such as entire AI bands or songs by deceased musicians appearing on platforms like Spotify, raises questions about consumer awareness and consent [3][4]. Listeners should have the right to know whether music is AI-generated for informed engagement.
Copyright and originality are other key issues, as AI models generate music by learning from existing datasets, which may lead to legal and moral challenges regarding intellectual property, plagiarism, and fair attribution to original artists whose works trained the AI [1][4]. The rise of AI-generated music also risks devaluing human musicians’ creativity and livelihood, requiring a careful balance in adoption and acceptance within the industry [3].
Quality and artistic value are also debated, with some questioning whether AI-generated music constitutes genuine art or simply derivative output. Notable musicians view AI as a useful tool but acknowledge its limitations and occasional low-quality outputs [3].
In summary, AI in music production in 2025 is a transformative, accessible technology with vast creative potential but also presents critical ethical challenges regarding transparency, copyright, and the future role of human musicians [1][2][3][4]. Responsible integration of AI tools, with clear disclosure and respect for intellectual property, will be key to harnessing their benefits while addressing these concerns.
Interestingly, AI developers are working on plans that would allow one AI system to be trained by another, but the musical equivalent of Bob and Alice's conversation may not be appealing to listeners. The creator of the AI-constructed folk-rock group, The Velvet Sundown, eventually confirmed that the music was created using AI. The use of AI-lite studio tools in a creative environment is not considered unacceptable.
One notable figure embracing AI as a tool for inspiration is ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus, who finds value in its ability to reference any music in the world. The use of AI in music production continues to evolve, and as it does, so too will the ethical considerations and the role of human musicians in the creative process.
References:
[1] Berger, R. (2023). The Rise of AI in Music Production: A New Era for Creativity and Collaboration. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertberger/2023/02/21/the-rise-of-ai-in-music-production-a-new-era-for-creativity-and-collaboration/?sh=6096674e65e2
[2] Kusek, D. (2023). The Future of Music: AI and the Evolution of the Industry. Music Business Worldwide. Retrieved from https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/the-future-of-music-ai-and-the-evolution-of-the-industry/
[3] Levy, D. (2023). The Ethics of AI in Music Production: A Balancing Act. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/mar/06/the-ethics-of-ai-in-music-production-a-balancing-act
[4] McDonough, P. (2023). The Impact of AI on Music: Challenges and Opportunities. NPR. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2023/03/12/1160896315/the-impact-of-ai-on-music-challenges-and-opportunities
AI has started to revolutionize the world of entertainment, not only in music production but also in the realm of AI-powered platforms that generate high-fidelity soundscapes and vocals. For instance, ElevenLabs Music, Suno AI, and Udio employ deep learning models to create music with varying genres, styles, and vocal textures.
However, as technology advances, it brings forth ethical concerns. In music production, issues such as transparency, copyright, and originality need to be addressed to ensure a proper balance between harnessing the benefits of AI and respecting human musicians' creativity and livelihood.
