Sting says musicians are facing battle with AI in coming years
STING says musicians will face “a battle” with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and its use within the music industry.
The Geordie and former frontman of The Police has warned that the coming years would see a fight to defend the “human capital” of music.
It comes after an increase in the number of songs using AI to recreate the work of well-known musicians and bands.
Artists including Eminem, Drake, The Weeknd and Oasis have all seen fake copies of their work produced in this manner.
Speaking to the BBC, Sting, 71, said: “The building blocks of music belong to us, to human beings.
“That’s going to be a battle we all have to fight in the next couple of years: Defending our human capital against AI.
“The tools are useful, but we have to be driving them,” he said.
“I don’t think we can allow the machines to just take over. We have to be wary.”
He added that he felt the same way about AI generated songs as he did about movies that use CGI.
“It doesn’t impress me at all,” he said.
“I get immediately bored when I see a computer-generated image. I imagine I will feel the same way about AI making music.
“Maybe for electronic dance music, it works. But for songs, you know, expressing emotions, I don’t think I will be moved by it.”
Sting’s remarks came ahead of the Ivor Novello songwriting awards on Thursday, where he received a fellowship – the organisation’s highest honour.
He is the 23rd fellow the academy has inducted in its 79-year history, joining the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, Joan Armatrading, Peter Gabriel and Sir Elton John.