(CNN) — British musician Sting became the latest artist to express concern about Artificial Intelligence (AI), saying we need to be “cautious” with the technology and that it will be a “battle everyone has to fight.”
“The building blocks of music belong to us, human beings,” Sting told the BBC in an interview on Thursday.
“That will be a battle that we will all have to fight in the next two years: defending our human capital against AI,” he added.
Sting performing in Milan, Italy, in October 2022. (Credit: Francesco Pradoni/Getty Images)
A contentious debate over AI-created songs has erupted in the music industry in recent months, with several high-profile figures affected by the growth in popularity of the technology.
Last month, a TikTok user claimed to have used AI to generate the voices of Drake and The Weeknd to create the viral track “Heart on my Sleeve,” commenting online: “The future is here.”
In January, Australian singer-songwriter Nick Cave said “dozens” of songs of his style had been created using ChatGPT, calling one attempt “a grotesque mockery of what it is to be human.”
But not all artists have shied away from technology.
French DJ and music producer David Guetta told CNN Business in March that he wants to “embrace” the technology, although “there is a bit of an ethical issue” regarding who owns the copyright to IA’s songs.
“I get bored immediately when I see a computer generated image. I imagine I’ll feel the same way about AI making music,” Sting said.
“Maybe for electronic dance music, it will work. But for songs, you know, expressing emotions, I don’t think I’d be moved by it,” she added.
Universal Music Group, which represents Sting, likened the AI music to a “fraud” in an urgent letter sent to music streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music in April.
“The tools are useful, but we have to push them,” Sting added in the interview. “I don’t think we can allow the machines to take over. We have to be cautious.”
The artist, whose original name is Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, will receive the highest honor bestowed by music association The Ivors Academy during an awards ceremony in London on Thursday.
The Golden Globe and Grammy Award winner, a former member of the English rock band The Police, is best known for songs like “Every Breath You Take” and “Message In A Bottle.”
(CNN) — British musician Sting became the latest artist to express concern about Artificial Intelligence (AI), saying we need to be “cautious” with the technology and that it will be a “battle everyone has to fight.”
“The building blocks of music belong to us, human beings,” Sting told the BBC in an interview on Thursday.
“That will be a battle that we will all have to fight in the next two years: defending our human capital against AI,” he added.
Sting performing in Milan, Italy, in October 2022. (Credit: Francesco Pradoni/Getty Images)
A contentious debate over AI-created songs has erupted in the music industry in recent months, with several high-profile figures affected by the growth in popularity of the technology.
Last month, a TikTok user claimed to have used AI to generate the voices of Drake and The Weeknd to create the viral track “Heart on my Sleeve,” commenting online: “The future is here.”
In January, Australian singer-songwriter Nick Cave said “dozens” of songs of his style had been created using ChatGPT, calling one attempt “a grotesque mockery of what it is to be human.”
But not all artists have shied away from technology.
French DJ and music producer David Guetta told CNN Business in March that he wants to “embrace” the technology, although “there is a bit of an ethical issue” regarding who owns the copyright to IA’s songs.
“I get bored immediately when I see a computer generated image. I imagine I’ll feel the same way about AI making music,” Sting said.
“Maybe for electronic dance music, it will work. But for songs, you know, expressing emotions, I don’t think I’d be moved by it,” she added.
Universal Music Group, which represents Sting, likened the AI music to a “fraud” in an urgent letter sent to music streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music in April.
“The tools are useful, but we have to push them,” Sting added in the interview. “I don’t think we can allow the machines to take over. We have to be cautious.”
The artist, whose original name is Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, will receive the highest honor bestowed by music association The Ivors Academy during an awards ceremony in London on Thursday.
The Golden Globe and Grammy Award winner, a former member of the English rock band The Police, is best known for songs like “Every Breath You Take” and “Message In A Bottle.”
