We’re living in one of the most important technological revolutions ever. And while there are certainly news articles and tech conference discussions on the topic, it still feels that AI’s potential impact on every facet of the human experience, including ethics in AI, is being underreported.
Just looking at the creative content industry, it’s clear that there is going to be a stark divide between before and after AI technology changed all manner of how content is conceived, executed, and distributed.
Furthermore, one area in which AI might be the most important—yet also least covered—is how creating songs with AI is changing the music industry. In particular, the industry is witnessing AI models learn and create their own music and songs, a development that is raising a host of new issues surrounding generative AI ethics, as well as increasing demand for transparency and protection of artists’ rights and creativity.
How AI is changing music and song creation
According to recent reports from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, AI is undoubtedly changing the way music is being made these days. The best use points for AI right now in most industries have to do with how much AI can help with speed, scalability, and accessibility.
And with AI song creation, this has never been truer as AI is helping songwriters and musicians of all types write, record, edit, and distribute music more efficiently and effectively than ever before.
However, concerns about how AI generated songs and AI's impact on music persist, as there is undoubtedly potential for devaluing the human creativity element of songwriting, as well as possible income stream losses or reductions that could affect musicians and other artists.
The goal for many in the music industry open to AI is to find the right balance where AI can coexist with musicians when appropriately used. The aim is for a future of music creation that can be both innovative and fair.
How AI music creation works (and why it’s controversial)
While we’re going to look specifically at music and song creation here, it’s important to note that the controversies and battles over the future of AI are heating up across all industries right now.
The biggest tech companies and names in the AI space are actively working to define rules and regulations for AI technologies, while at the same time, artists and all creatives are working towards outlining protections from copyright infringements and illegal scraping.
We’ve even seen major labels begin to start negotiations with AI music startups to explore how to integrate AI created songs into their catalogs while still protecting their music and artist relationships, as well as integrate generative AI music into how they create and license music for clients and brands moving forward.
According to an MIT Technology Review, the battle over AI-generated music is one of the key battlegrounds for many reasons. There are also many questions being raised, not only about how and where AI models are trained, but debates as to what copyrights can be associated with “original” music created by these models.
Why ethical AI matters for independent artists
Looking specifically at independent musicians and artists who have the most at stake in these AI ethics discussions, it’s important that we highlight the impact of royalty-free AI music on freelance and indie musicians.
The name of the game for many brands and artists in this space going forward is going to be transparency, as we believe that the more open everyone can be about who makes the music, how it is made, and who is profiting from it will be crucial to deluge.
Unlike many other royalty-free music libraries and third-party resources, Soundstripe can offer the following:
- AI tools to assist musicians, not replace them.
- Licensing tiers that distinguish AI-generated vs. human-made tracks.
- Long-term opportunity: AI as a creative assistant, not a replacement.
The goal here is to embrace ethical AI as not anti-AI, but rather as pro-human compensation and transparency.
Principles for ethical AI music creation
Overall, the principles for ethical AI music creation are very much being defined right now. There will undoubtedly be heated debates over the coming months and years, but in many ways, the choices being made here are pretty straightforward.
Taking some cues from the Human Artistry Campaign and other non-profit organizations that are fighting to better define the core principles and guidelines for ethical AI, the goal of any company or brand that is serious about protecting artists and their rights is to invest in ways to secure human intellectual creativity.
The brands that can clearly showcase how they’re committed to their human artists and creators, both on the brand side and the customer side, are going to be the ones that will be able to build the best communities and be in the best positions to succeed moving forward.
Soundstripe’s perspective: People first, always
As pointed out at the beginning of this article, it’s important to note that we’re still very much in the early stages of how AI is undoubtedly going to change—and continue changing—not just how music and song creation works, but all creative content and art.
Yet, it’s in these early days that everyone, brands, artists, and consumers, can do their best to reinforce their own commitments to transparency, ethical innovation, and fair pay.
For example, Soundstripe’s AI Song Editor aims to be a helpful tool for quickly editing tracks for your videos and content, but doesn’t aim to replace the work of the musicians or the video editor.
We’re also committed to continuing the conversation with our musicians, as well as other independent artists and creators, to work together to shape the future of how music creation can be both innovative and fair.
For more info on how Soundstripe aims to stay on top of emerging technologies as well as being dedicated to supporting artists and creators, check out these additional articles from the Soundstripe blog.
- Discover the Power of AI-Integrated Music Search with Soundstripe
- From Rough Cut to Ready: The 7 Best AI Transcription Tools for Creators Who Move Fast
- How Royalty Free AI Music Is - and Isn’t - Changing The Future of Music for Video
- Our New AI Song Editing Feature Allows You to Edit a Soundstripe Track in Seconds
- 4 Ways AI is Already Changing the Film and Video Industry
