Billie Eilish, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, and more sign open letter against the unauthorized AI use in the music industry

A group of 200 artists, including Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Camila Cabello, Zayn Malik, and J Balvin, have joined together to demand an end to the “predatory”use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the music industry.

On April 2, 2024, the Artist Rights Alliance, a non-profit advocacy organization led by artists, released an open letter to developers of digital music platforms, urging them to stop using AI to violate the rights and diminish the value of human artists. The letter stated:

“We must protect against the predatory use of AI to steal artists’ voices and likenesses, violate creators’ rights, and destroy the music ecosystem.”

Moreover, the letter stated:

“We call on all digital music platforms and music-based services to pledge that they will not develop or deploy AI music-generation technology, content, or tools that undermine or replace the human artistry of songwriters and artists or deny us fair compensation for our work.”

The organization ARA received support from Billie Eilish and numerous other renowned artists through their signatures on an open letter.

Top Artists Unite to Warn of AI’s Impact on Music Industry

The Artist Rights Alliance (ARA) published an open letter on the writing platform Medium on Tuesday. In the letter, the organization expressed concern about the unauthorized use of songs by Artificial Intelligence developers. These developers then create vast amounts of AI “sounds”and “images,”which diminishes the amount of royalties owed to the artists.

The open letter was signed by approximately 200 artists, among them Billie Eilish’s brother FINNEAS, Norwegian singer Astrid, and others.

In a lengthy statement, Jen Jacobsen, the executive director of ARA, announced that several tech giants, including YouTube, have conducted trials of AI tools that create music.

“Working musicians are already struggling to make ends meet in the streaming world, and now they have the added burden of trying to compete with a deluge of AI-generated noise. The unethical use of generative AI to replace human artists will devalue the entire music ecosystem — for artists and fans alike.”

The advent of Artificial Intelligence has enabled digital developers to utilize vocal samples to alter their produced songs and make them sound like they are sung by famous human artists like Drake or Billie Eilish. These celebrities are unaware of the use of their samples and have not given permission for their voices to be used in the creation of these songs.

Within the extensive list of over 200 signatories, there is a diverse mix of artists, songwriters, and producers from different genres, eras, and regions. The names range from up-and-coming talents like Ayra Starr to established music icons like Smokey Robinson. Additionally, prominent entertainment companies like HYBE from South Korea have also expressed their backing.

Moreover, Jacobsen, the executive director of ARA, emphasized the importance of artists comprehending the potential of AI. He stated:

“Make no mistake: we believe that, when used responsibly, AI has enormous potential to advance human creativity and in a manner that enables the development and growth of new and exciting experiences for music fans everywhere.”

In addition, he stated:

“Unfortunately, some platforms and developers are employing AI to sabotage creativity and undermine artists, songwriters, musicians and rightsholders.”

The Artist Rights Alliance expressed concern that if not addressed, AI could lead to a “race to the bottom”that would devalue the work of songwriters such as Billie Eilish and Katy Perry, potentially hindering their ability to receive fair compensation.

Despite some celebrities opposing the progress and use of AI in the music industry, there are those who support it. Notable electronic artists Grimes and DJ David Guetta are among those who have expressed their endorsement of using AI tools in the industry.

Based on the GrimesAI platform, individuals have the ability to convert their personal voice recordings into a “GrimesAI voiceprint”and acknowledge the platform as either a primary or featured artist. If the Canadian musician approves of the collaboration, the tracks produced by these creators will result in a 50% royalty split.

The artists referred to in the open letter, such as Billie Eilish, have yet to provide personal statements regarding Artificial Intelligence.