A few months ago, Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, sparked controversy by announcing that the prestigious Grammy Awards would accept music created with artificial intelligence. Although this initially caused confusion, Mason clarified that only humans can submit works for consideration, though AI can be used in the creative process.
Mason explained that the Academy is assessing the use of AI in music and emphasized the importance of celebrating human creativity at the highest level. This issue has sparked debates in the music industry, as many are questioning how AI will affect copyright, royalties, and the authenticity of artistic work.
Concerns in the Industry
The rise of AI has brought about a series of concerns. Some artists fear for their future, while others see opportunities. For example, the musician Devante expressed that AI should have no place in music creation, as it makes it easier for others to appropriate work that has taken him years to develop. On the other hand, an anonymous musician who also works at a tech company suggested that AI could offer new opportunities, comparing the situation to the industrial revolution.
Currently, AI is mainly used in technical processes like mastering and sound equalization, but the main concerns revolve around obtaining the necessary permissions to use artists' work, ensuring proper recognition of human versus AI-generated credits, and fair compensation.
Protecting Human Creativity
To address these challenges, Mason co-founded the Human Artistry Campaign, which seeks to establish stricter guidelines around the use of AI in music. Additionally, he supports legislation such as the No AI Fraud Act and the No FAKES Act, designed to protect creators' identities and work from AI-generated forgeries.
As AI becomes more integrated into the music industry, Mason emphasizes the need to protect human artists and assures that the industry will find a fair way to adapt to this new technology, similar to how it did in the past with the use of synthesizers and music sampling.
