Music and society evolve together, sometimes in conflict. While music has long been a form of authentic expression, the rise of AI raises concerns about its authenticity. AI’s integration into music could democratize creativity but risks diminishing emotional depth and human connection. Critics fear that reliance on technology will undermine genuine expression and artistic integrity.
Author: Teresa Jardim
Music and society evolve in everlasting ways: sometimes side by side, but other times in direct conflict with each other. Music has defined the human for years and years to come. But now, more than ever, the authenticity of music as a direct consequence of feelings and ideas is being put to question. From its first forms, music has been used as a means of communication and expression. The body was the first instrument, and everything about it was human and authentic.
In the 21st century, technology has evolved in meaningful ways, one of many being the development of AI. AI stands for artificial intelligence, and is a topic much discussed in the media nowadays, and rightfully so. Whilst this new technology might often be associated with engines such as ChatGPT, or Perplexity AI, many fail to see how it can be associated with music and its industry. Nonetheless, there is no need to search far. Deepfakes of people’s voices are already being used to create fake music.
Some argue that this advancement in the music industry will help the music industry evolve and expand. It will allow non-experienced musicians to better their own music, as well as allow people will less musical knowledge to turn their ideas into masterpieces.
Expanding the music industry as such could be beneficial in a growingly hierarchical field, where the number of people with successful music careers is limited only to a small handful.
Nonetheless, it is important to address the controversies that this is bringing up. Artists have already, for years, been criticized for using ghost writers, or autotune, as this is not considered real musical talent by many. With as little as autotune already being unacceptable to some, it is evident that music where the instrumentals/voice/lyrics, etc. being made by an AI will be seen by many as an offense to the art.
As a young girl, I remember the day I learned that many artists do not show their real feelings in music, but simply reflected a made up reality in their songs due to it’s viability for commercial success. This shocked me deeply, as it went against what I was taught to believe music was, and what we instinctively see art as.
Allowing AI to take over music, and other art forms, will only increase the rate at which humans are taught not to feel but only to work. It threatens to remove all emotional forms of communication from us, stranding us with no solitude to feel and no solace to take comfort in.
Cover Image: matthias_groeneveld from pixabay
Editor: Hedvig Paulander
