Music and artificial intelligence, everyone is looking for their voice and their way

Everyone thinks about it. Belgian star Angèle has it “fear”Beatles legend Paul McCartney finds this “interesting”. One thing is certain, artificial intelligence (AI) programs that recreate the voices of artists are shaking up the music industry, aware that it will have to deal with it.

The crooner voice of Frank Sinatradisappeared in 1998, is found in a version of the tube Gangsta’s Paradise of Coolio. Angèle was surprised to get along to resume Saiyan , title of French rappers Heuss L’Enfoiré and Gazo. The video has been viewed over 1.8 million times on YouTube. “I don’t know what to think of artificial intelligence. I think it’s crazy but at the same time I’m afraid for my job”writes the singer to the 3.7 million subscribers on Instagram.

“AI is evil”slices Californian rapper Ice Cube in the Full Send podcast. “It’s the drop of water that makes the vase overflow” deplores on its networks Canadian rapper Drake, particularly targeted by these processes tracing a tone of voice. Whether for a deceptive version of munchtitle of the American rapper Ice Spice or Heart On My Sleevefake duo created between him and another Canadian heavyweight, The Weekndlistened to over 10 million times on TikTok in a matter of hours.

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An entire Oasis album, separated since 2009renamed AIsis even appeared. “I listened to a title, better than other stuff heard these days”, comments on his networks the singer Liam Gallagher. On BBC Radio 4, Paul McCartney comments: “It’s something we’re all figuring out right now.”. A little different case for the pop legend as an unreleased Beatles song is going to be recorded using AI to recreate the voice of John Lennon, under the control of the rights holders. Nothing of a wild appropriation.

Everywhere, all the time

“AI is present in the reflections of the music industry or in the artistic world and it is more visible than before because the technology is becoming more democratic, explains Alexandre Lasch, from the National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing in France (Snep). As applications develop, regulation is discussed at European level, in the United States, one of the sinews of war is transparency around AI tools, because the most important thing remains respect for the artist and of creation”, he adds. Intellectual property is questioned. “What you protect with copyright is the expression of an idea, and the voice isn’t really that,” estimated in the spring with AFP Andres Guadamuz, professor of intellectual property law at the British University of Sussex.

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A spokesperson for the queen streaming platform told AFP that Spotify “carries out in-depth discussions on how to manage the powerful potential of AI technologies”. who specifies that “comp” of Spotify remains “helping artists connect with audiences, monetize their art and build their careers”. The French platform Deezer indicated in June that it had developed a technology, which allows it to identify songs cloning the voices of music stars via AI. “Our goal is to eliminate illegal and fraudulent content, increase transparency and develop a new compensation system where professional artists are rewarded for creating valuable content”said a press release.

As revealed by FinancialTimes , Universal Music has been asking platforms like Spotify or Apple Music since April to deny access to its catalog to those who wish to use it to enrich AI programs. Google and Universal Music are also in talks about possible licenses for the melodies and voices of artists generated by AI, also reveals the FinancialTimes. The goal is to define tools for remunerate the beneficiaries when fans would create tracks of their idols with AI programs.