New Delhi

There is no denying it now, Artificial Intelligence is here to stay. Slowly and steadily, AI is permeating our day-to-day lives. Last week, it left several music lovers, especially fans of Drake and The Weeknd worried as their voices were used to create a song called Heart on My Sleeve. Completely created by AI, the song went viral in no time and streamed heavily both on YouTube as well as Spotify until it was pulled down by Universal Music Group, terming it to be unethical. 

While the song's growing popularity was curbed at its initial phase, it did lead to a wider discussion about the future of art and artists amid the growing influence of AI-generated apps. The mimicry may have created only a minor concern for the artists in question until the recording giant took matters in its own hand. But if one looks at the larger picture, it poses a grave threat to the artists as well as creativity. 

Titled Heart on My Sleeve, the viral song was reportedly created using AI programming trained with artists' music, something which UMG said 'represents both a breach of our agreements and a violation of copyright law'. The song was streamed 600,000 times on Spotify and received 15million views on TikTok and 275,000 views on YouTube and was originally posted by a TikTok user called Ghostwriter977.   

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What made Heart on My Sleeve special?

AI programming apps have been used to create different versions of hit songs. Many would have heard an AI Rihanna singing a Beyonce hit and AI Kanye doing Hey There Delilah, but what set the alarm bells ringing in the case of Heart Of My Sleeve was that it was an original song that used voices of Drake and The Weeknd to create something new. The song was even marketed online which led to its brief popularity. The song, for those who heard it, seemed authentic. For many, it seemed like a novelty- to hear their favourite artist knowing that it was not originally sung by them. 

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The two artists did not react to the viral song although a day before the song was dropped online, Drake had reacted to another number which had used his voice to create an AI-generated song. Taking to Instagram stories, Drake had written, "'This is the final straw AI.'"

Songs created by AI using the voices of artists

Days after Drake and The Weeknd's voice was used for Heart on My Sleeve, a new song using Bad Bunny and Rihanna's voice has been created by the same TikTok user. Uploaded directly to SoundCloud, YouTube and TikTok under a different handle, Ghostwrider777, the 1:07 long song, Por Qué, features a spot-on yearning Bad Bunny vocal over a shuffling reggaeton beat along with RihRih singing “Baby you shine so bright/ Like diamonds in the sky/ I feel alive/ But now you got me thinkin.'

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Rapper Drake had previously been dragged into the world of AI when his voice was used to create his AI version for a song by New York rapper Ice Spice. 

Earlier this month, UMG had also taken down a track that featured an AI-generated version of Eminem’s voice in a song about cats, citing infringement of copyright.

AI and artist copyright 

Reacting to the incident, Universal Music Group, which handles Drake and The Weeknd, told Billboard, 'platforms have a fundamental legal and ethical responsibility to prevent the use of their services in ways that harm artists'. 

They added that the episode 'begs the question as to which side of history all stakeholders in the music ecosystem want to be on: the side of artists, fans and human creative expression, or on the side of deep fakes, fraud and denying artists their due compensation.'

Interestingly, the concept of AI infesting the music industry and plagiarising voices is a new one. So much so that experts feel there is really no legal rules that can protect the artists' community. New laws on copyright need to be created in order to make creativity and artists AI- safe. 

UMG, which controls about a third of the global music market, reportedly is asking streaming companies to cut off access to their music catalogue for developers using it to train AI technology.

Courts and lawmakers are only beginning to sort out questions of ownership when it comes to AI, and copyrights in music can be complicated as it is. 

So far, recording labels and artists are relying on fans and their loyalty towards their favourite artists to curb the popularity of such music. A true fan will be able to identify and differentiate between an original and an AI-generated voice. But this seems like a myopic thought, what with the increase in AI-generated programmes that are freely available online. Everyone can experiment and create something of their own thanks to AI. 

The way forward

Earlier this week, Canadian singer Grimes said in an Instagram post that she would treat an AI hit using her voice as she would collaborate with any artist.  "Feel free to use my voice without penalty," Grimes said in a post on her verified Instagram account. "I'll split 50 percent royalties on any successful AI-generated song that uses my voice." Grimes added that she has no obligations to a recording label so can uphold the offer.

Singer Grimes says AI can use her voice for songs: Feel free to use my voice

Not just in music, even in cinema, Joe Russo- one half of the Russo Brothers- has said that in two years time, AI -generated films will be available for consumption. 

Considering the slow and steady infiltration of AI, the future of creativity seems to be at stake and there is an urgent need to re-examine copyright laws and licensing of such apps.  The legalities need to be changed in such a manner that the artist and his creative process are not jeopardised.