The Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am says artificial intelligence will flood the music world with synthetic content, but believes human creativity and live performance will remain distinct and deeply valued.
In a new Bloomberg interview, the American rapper and singer says AI music is not an existential threat to the industry, but a parallel category that audiences will learn to recognize and choose between, much like organic versus non-organic food.
“You go to the supermarket, do you say, ‘Hey, where’s the organic oranges?’ But then you just buy oranges. So if you’re not buying organic oranges, then what are those oranges that aren’t organic…? The only reason I’m saying that is that it’s processed to the point where you need to identify organic from [non-organic.] The same will be for music. The same will be for everything… I’m trying to elevate this conversation to everything. I’m starting with oranges to organic oranges, to music to organic music, to interviews to organic interviews.”
will.i.am expands his idea, noting that AI-generated artists will coexist with human performers rather than erase them, and that the emotional value of lived experience will continue to matter.
“It’s called live entertainment. AI is not living. Yes, there’s going to be lots of music. There’s going to be AI bands. That’s true. There’ll be an AI Bruce Springsteen. There’ll be an AI Lana Del Rey. There’ll be an AI Adele. And it’s going to sound great. People will like it. You’ll go see it performed live. And the team that makes the live performance is going to be freaking, yep, it’s going to be dope.
And then there’s going to be a human lived experience that you’re still going to love. It’s not doom and gloom for the music industry.”
From will.i.am’s perspective, AI’s biggest disruption may land far from the stage, reshaping professions built on memory, rules and numbers faster than those built on human expression.
“I’m more worried about my accountant than I am my drummer. I’m more worried about my lawyer than I am the singers that sing with us. Because that’s law, memory and numbers.”
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