Artificial intelligence record labels say their tools could democratize the art form. Some artists are skeptical.

Artificial intelligence-created music continues to be hugely popular, from songs like “10 Drunk Cigarettes” to “BBL Drizzy.” However, despite the recent popularity of AI-generated music, the use of the technology has been met with heavy criticism.

Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group sued music companies Uncharted Labs and Suno this summer over artificial intelligence software that allows users to create music based on text prompts, alleging that copyrighted songs were used without permission for training artificial intelligence. Universal Music Group has no connection with NBCUniversal, the operator of NBC News.

Record labels moved quickly to remove music containing AI-powered versions of Drake and The Weeknd’s voices.

More than 200 music artists, including Billie Eilish, Stevie Wonder and Nicki Minaj, signed an open letter this year calling on AI companies to “protect against the predatory use of artificial intelligence to steal the voices and likenesses of professional artists, violating the rights of creators , and destroy the music ecosystem.”

Despite the opposition, music companies using artificial intelligence continue to grow and use a new argument to support their business: accessibility.

Websites like Sound Draw, Musicfy, AIVA, and Boomy allow users to easily create music using artificial intelligence using a variety of inputs.

Users can choose from a variety of music genres and then adjust elements such as the tempo, mood, and instruments that appear in the music.

AI music companies say the new ease of use allows users who previously couldn’t easily create music to generate their own content.

“You don’t have to buy fancy equipment. You don’t have to have music lessons,” said Cassie Speer, Boomy’s director of “creative success.” “There are a lot of things you need to do to be able to make music, and Booma’s goal is to make it possible for anyone who wants to experiment with creativity to visit our website and easily try it out.”

Speer has traveled across the country teaching students about generative AI technology and the Boom, and expressed hope that AI technology will provide low-income students with a new level of access to music.

“Marginalized people often fall behind in technology and don’t have the same access,” she said. “If we can partner with people who want to do it right and provide resources for students and have symbiotic relationships in the music industry and with schools, we will be able to do a lot more.”

Access to music education in U.S. public schools is increasingly shrinking

According to the Arts Education Data Project, a data collection and analysis project led by a nonprofit arts education organization, 8% of all students did not have access to music education during the school day in U.S. public schools.

Other companies are leaning toward the view that artificial intelligence can lower the barrier to music creation and democratize the art form. Software company Musicfy said in a blog post that its technology “shortens the learning curve, allowing beginners to focus on creativity rather than technical challenges.”

Canadian musician Grimes also emphasized the ideal by inviting her fans to create music using her AI-generated voice, writing on X: “If you register music with us, we will be able to collect and pay royalties directly to anyone who uses Grimes’ AI vocals with intelligent contracts!? The future rally is now! This is so cool.”

In Denver, Speer taught a course on Boomy-powered AI music tools for young musicians.

Some of the local artists who performed at the Youth on Record festival support the integration of artificial intelligence technology into education and music production.

“Think about how much more dynamic the Denver scene could be if every person who was sitting at home with a song idea in their head but didn’t have the keyboard skills or the guitar skills or something to really bring it out. had a tool that could start it for them,” said Regi Worles, a member of the Dog Tags team.

Worles and several team members attended an artificial intelligence workshop where Boomy software was presented.

“I truly believe that no one should feel held back from following their dreams just because they don’t know how to use software that costs around $400 or more to own,” he said. “If AI can be a way to influence this in a different direction, then I’m quite open to it.”

Boomy is free, but there are different pricing tiers depending on how many songs someone wants to publish. Mitchell said Boomy keeps 20% of an artist’s profits if a song is created and distributed using its software.

Any song created using its software becomes the exclusive property of Booma.

Michael Merola, bassist and vocalist of Dog Tags, said he uses artificial intelligence tools in his creative process, for example by asking ChatGPT for synonyms for words in song lyrics.

Worles said the duo also drew inspiration from music-specific AI tools.

“Even just showing Michael, ‘Oh, hey, here’s the thing I was thinking about. I listened to it mainly for the melody, but there were also chord ideas in the background.» And then he said, “Oh, I could do it better, watch.” And now we’re writing a song. So as always, this is a starting point.

However, not all of the emerging musicians at the Denver festival were excited about the technology’s evolution.

“Honestly, I’m very afraid of it,” said singer-songwriter Genevieve Libien.

“I’m skeptical about this. Probably just because music is so human to me, so inseparable from our humanity and inextricably linked to it. So any kind of artificial intelligence almost seems like an affront to that sanctity,” she added.

Although she went to Booma’s workshop out of curiosity, it did not change her mind.

“Personally, I don’t see myself using generative AI,” she said. “I think my biggest fear would be turning on the radio and having every song playing be like ChatGPT.”

Creative professionals from various industries shared Libien’s concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence on the arts and creative professions. In September 2023, writers ended one of Hollywood’s longest writers’ strikes after film and television studios agreed to put in place barriers limiting the use of artificial intelligence in their industry.

According to The Associated Press, Tennessee this year was the first state to take legal action to protect musicians and artists from artificial intelligence, passing a bill aimed at ensuring that artificial intelligence tools are not used to replicate artists’ voices without their consent.

Speer, however, hopes that the integration of artificial intelligence in music education can be used for good.

“I hope this technology will make more resources available and more companies will collaborate within public school systems and nonprofits to support their mission to ensure that music and the arts are never left behind,” she said.