Daniel Bedingfield Predicts AI’s Permanent Role in Music Industry

Daniel Bedingfield has weighed in on the ongoing debate about artificial intelligence (AI) in music, expressing his belief that AI will eventually dominate the industry.

Concerns have emerged from various quarters. MPs have called for tighter legislation around AI use, and celebrities like Nicolas Cage have criticized the technology as “inhumane.” Meanwhile, figures such as will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas have supported AI from its early stages.

“AI is now here forever,” Bedingfield told The Guardian. “And so I think that there will be two paths: the neo-luddite path, and everyone else, most of the planet, who thinks the music’s really good and enjoys it.”

Bedingfield’s endorsement of AI stems from his disenchantment with the music industry, which he described as “a system full of sharks and people who don’t know what they’re doing.” He believes AI will become indispensable.

“It will be possible to continue without AI,” he said. “But the question will be, why would you? Why fight it when you can have a whole gospel choir singing your chorus in two days’ time?”

He added, “It might have been very romantic to create my own bricks before I build a wall. It’s not necessary any more, so I buy a bunch of bricks.”

Earlier this year, Sheryl Crow criticized Drake for using AI-generated Tupac Shakur vocals in one of his diss tracks targeting Kendrick Lamar. Ironically, Drake himself had fallen victim to AI, with multiple songs mimicking his voice and style being released last year. These tracks were quickly removed from social media by platforms like YouTube.

AI has also been applied to songs in the style of Nick Cave, leading the singer to describe the technology as a “grotesque mockery of what it means to be human.”

Despite these controversies, Bedingfield views AI as a positive development. Reflecting on his childhood, the “Gotta Get Thru This” singer said, “I want a six-year-old to make a masterpiece. I could sing really well when I was six; I feel that my voice was as good at nine as it is now.”

“I would have loved the chance to have made an album back then, without having to spend decades learning to play the instruments. That was the hard part, the brutal part,” he added.

Amy Winehouse, Nirvana, and Jimi Hendrix are among the artists whose styles have been imitated using AI. The Lost Tapes of the 27 Club, a project aimed at highlighting the mental health crisis in the music industry, used AI to produce “new songs” mimicking the styles of Winehouse, Hendrix, and Kurt Cobain, all of whom died at the age of 27.

This controversial project involved feeding the artists’ back catalogues into neural networks, which were designed to study and replicate the hooks, rhythms, melodies, and lyrics characteristic of their music.

Bedingfield’s support for AI in music reflects a broader enthusiasm for the technology, despite the significant ethical and creative concerns it raises. As AI continues to evolve and integrate into various aspects of society, its role in the music industry is poised to expand, likely sparking further debates and discussions.

Whether embraced or resisted, AI’s growing presence in music invites artists and listeners alike to rethink traditional notions of creativity and originality.

Source: The Guardian