I can't believe AI has me in my WhatsApp auntie era
It feels like 2023 started and all I've been hearing about, whether I'm at work, or with friends, or aimlessly scrolling TikTok; is AI, aka artificial intelligence.
Hello hello hello, it's me Maryan, and I'd just like to preface this week's edition by letting you all know I wrote this using ChatGPT....(I'm lying)
Damn, is the internet in its Renaissance era?
Without getting ahead of myself, I can't help but think we're entering a new digital age, from being able to generate a 10k academic essay within seconds using ChatGPT, to simulating an impressive piece of art with a few simple prompts using Midjourney - the possibilities of what AI can produce for us seems pretty much endless, especially now that AI tools are just about accessible to anyone who has internet access.
Welcoming, TikTok's latest trend: AI voice generated song covers.
Some of my favs include, Michael Jackson covering Ice Spice's 'Munch' #like, Vybz Kartel's 'Romping shop' sung by Taylor Swift, and Drake singing in Somali.
These AI covers have made for hilarious content; however, the thought arises:
where do we draw the line with what we should and shouldn't use AI for?
Let’s try and think critically mama’s…
The first issue surrounds consent and ownership of assets, major labels and artists like Drake have argued that these AI covers are a blatant copyrighting violation. The AI-generated Drake & Weeknd song 'Heart on my sleeve' went viral, with the song racking up millions of streams and it being loved by fans everywhere, however UMG were able to get this pulled off the internet, surprisingly however it wasn't due to the vocals used, but because the song included an uncleared Metro Boomin sample. According to legal experts, AI-generated covers aren't actually in direct violation of the law.
There's also the issue of digital-racism with AI-generated content, more specifically digital blackface. Last September, activists alleged that 'FN Meka, an AI rapper with white creators' was simply a modern-day version of blackface, 'instead of donning black makeup, white owners can now create their own Black artists from scratch, built with the racist biases'. Also, the idea that someone could potentially benefit from using a cultural likeliness that isn't their own, while propagating racist stereotypes.
It should be highlighted that there are some artists and creators who aren't opposed to using AI when it comes to music. One artist being producer Timbaland who's latest teased single includes an AI-generated Biggie Smalls.
Like always, there were mixed reactions, with some fans applauding this but the majority disagreeing and seeing it as disrespecting the legacy of a dead artist.
You already know the drill, it won’t be a Fax No Printer edition if we didn’t have our Critical Thinking Questions, and this week’s questions were written up by our lovely Rahel:
In light of AI becoming more accessible, will the industry be forced to level up or will there be a sense of monotony across creative works?
Should we be worried that the 'Godfather of AI' has labeled AI as 'quite scary'?
Who is responsible for AI ethics, and should laws be crafted to properly regulate AI usage?
Please hit us up, and let us know your thoughts, drop us an email or stalk us on LinkedIn! I’d love to hear your thoughts. Should we continue indulging in AI generated music?
Such a good read, I honestly think laws need to be created ASAP to safeguard Black, POC, and queer minorities of all kinds. Because this stuff is truly scary.