Top Musicians Such As Katy Perry, Billie Eilish & Countless Others Have Penned An Open Letter, Asking Developers Not To Replace Human Artists With AI

As AI gradually makes its way into the music industry, concerns have arisen about its potential impact on the careers of established musicians. In response, renowned artists like Katy Perry and Billie Eilish, along with many others, have come together to address this issue by writing a letter to developers, companies, and other entities. This letter highlights their role as advocates for those who may not have a voice in the age of AI, and their stance against the replacement of human talent and skill by technology.

Potential Impact on Artists’ Compensation and Royalty Pools from AI Voice Replication

A number of prominent musicians, including Elvis Costello, Norah Jones, Nicki Minaj, Camila Cabello, Kacey Musgraves, Jon Batiste, Ja Rule, Jason Isbell, Pearl Jam, and Sam Smith, joined together to sign an open letter spanning various genres. According to Axios, the letter included the following statement.

“We call on all AI developers, technology companies, platforms and digital music 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.”

Furthermore, Jen Jacobsen, Executive Director of The Artist Rights Alliance (ARA), a trade group representing artists, has emphasized that their organization is not seeking legislative action. Instead, they are urging technology companies and AI developers to cease the unethical practice of using AI to exploit and misappropriate the voices and images of professional artists, infringe upon creators’ rights, and disrupt the music industry.

If AI models are able to mimic the voices of prominent or emerging artists, it could lead to decreased compensation and royalties, ultimately jeopardizing their livelihood. Although the letter acknowledges the potential benefits of responsibly using AI to enhance human creativity, it also warns against the current exploitation of this technology by developers and companies to undermine and diminish the contributions of artists, songwriters, musicians, and rights holders.

Regardless of whether or not companies that train AI models to mimic voices take this letter seriously, there is a truth that artists cannot disregard regarding their future. If they find themselves in a difficult situation, they may face a lawsuit in the future.

According to Axios, a group of musicians have written a letter expressing concerns about the potential replacement of artists with artificial intelligence in the year 2024.