Is AI's entry into music a sign of humanity's last tune?

AI threatens to conquer the music industry as apps simplify song creation. Breaking boundaries from voice manipulation to singing in unfamiliar languages. Legal and creative struggles ensue.

  (photo credit: INGIMAGE)
(photo credit: INGIMAGE)

In the world of music, a dramatic struggle is taking place between the giants of the industry and innovative technology companies. On the one hand, lawsuits resound, and on the other - surprising collaborations. Is this the end of human creation or rather the beginning of a new era?

Attorney Yanor Bartenthal and Ilan Tzedek, experts in artificial intelligence, offer an interesting perspective on the situation. "We are facing a historic crossroads in the music industry," says Bartenthal. "Artificial intelligence poses unprecedented legal and ethical challenges, but also offers exciting creative opportunities." Zedek adds: "The real challenge is to find the right balance. How will we preserve the copyrights and the human uniqueness in the creation, while taking advantage of the enormous potential of the new technology?".

A legal battle over copyright

Recently, music giants such as Sony Music, Universal Music Group and Warner Records have filed lawsuits against startup companies Suno AI and Uncharted Labs (developer of Udio AI). The main claim: copyright infringement on a large scale.

According to the lawsuits, these companies use protected works of artists from Chuck Berry to Mariah Carey to train their artificial intelligence models, without permission and without payment.

Mitch Glaser, chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), claims that "unlicensed services like Suno and Udio jeopardize the promise of truly innovative AI for all of us." On the other hand, Miki Shulman, CEO of Suno AI, defends himself: "Our technology is designed to create completely new products, not to memorize and re-eject existing content."

  (credit: REUTERS/ARND WIEGMANN)
(credit: REUTERS/ARND WIEGMANN)

From resistance to cooperation

But while there is a battle going on in the courts, behind the scenes a fascinating process of cooperation takes place. Universal Music Group (UMG), for example, embarked on an innovative journey with SoundLabs. The result? Revolutionary tools that combine artificial intelligence in musical creation, while strictly maintaining the rights of the artists.

One of the most impressive tools is MicDrop - an advanced voice plugin that allows artists to change their voice in real time. Chris Horton, VP of Strategic Technology at UMG, explains: “We strive to keep artists at the center of our AI strategy. Technology should serve art, not the other way around." He adds that the new tools will allow artists to "sing in languages they don't speak, perform duets with the younger version of themselves, reproduce imperfect voice recordings, and more."

The ethical challenge

BT, founder of SoundLabs and Grammy-nominated music producer, emphasizes the ethical importance: "We believe that the future of music creation is definitely human. Artificial intelligence, when used ethically and trained with consent, can open unimaginable new creative insights."To address the ethical and legal challenges, UMG and Roland published the Principles for Making Music with AI, a document that emphasizes the need for transparency, fairness and community engagement. More than 50 leading companies and organizations in the industry have already joined this initiative.

  (credit: INGIMAGE)
(credit: INGIMAGE)

The consequences for Israeli industry

For record companies in Israel, these developments are a wake-up call. Attorney Bartenthal and Tzedek offer a number of important recommendations to the local industry. First, they emphasize the importance of developing strategic partnerships with technology companies for the purpose of creating ethical and licensed AI tools. At the same time, they call on the companies to reexamine the existing legal framework and act to adapt it to the new challenges posed by artificial intelligence .

Bartenthal and Tzedek also encourage controlled innovation, which will enable the development of AI-based tools that enhance the abilities of local artists, while preserving the human uniqueness of the work. "It's important to remember," they emphasize, "that technology should serve art and not replace it."


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Finally, the experts point to the need to invest in education. "Training artists and producers in the responsible use of AI technologies is critical," they say. "It is not only a matter of technical knowledge, but also of a deep understanding of the ethical and creative consequences of using these technologies."

"As the newest technology available today," conclude Bartenthal and Tzedek, "we must support human artistic expression and copyright, along with the promotion of technology that will enable easier and better creation - and not one that comes at the expense of human capital."

Summary: Harmony between man and machine?

The Israeli and global music industry faces a unique opportunity to embrace the potential of AI while dealing with the accompanying legal and ethical challenges. Will we succeed in finding the perfect harmony between human creation and advanced technology? The answer to this question will shape the future of music as we know it.

In an era where technology advances at a dizzying pace, the real challenge is to keep the human spirit at the heart of musical creation. However, if we manage to correctly navigate between the challenges and the opportunities, we may discover that artificial intelligence is not a threat to human music, but rather a powerful tool to empower it and expand its boundaries.