Musicians like Billie Eilish call for protection against AI

Over 200 musicians have signed an open letter urging safeguards against AI's misuse of human voices, including A-list artists, and estates of Bob Marley and Frank Sinatra.

More than 200 well-known musicians have signed an open letter urging safeguards against the rapacious use of artificial intelligence (AI) that imitates the sounds, looks, and voices of human artists. Signatories include A-list musicians like Nicki Minaj, J Balvin, and Billie Eilish, as well as Rock and Roll Hall of Famers like Stevie Wonder and REM, representing a wide range of musical genres and eras. Signatories also include the estates of Bob Marley and Frank Sinatra. The basic demand in the letter, which was sent by the advocacy group Artist Rights Alliance, is that tech corporations promise not to create AI tools that will undermine or take the place of human composers and artists.

The letter acknowledges that the use of AI in music production can be beneficial, but does not advocate for a complete ban. AI has been used in various ways, such as separating John Lennon's vocals from an old demo file to create a new Beatles song, demonstrating its potential in the industry. Artists and creators are resisting the use of generative artificial intelligence AI due to ethical and legal issues like copyright infringement and labor rights. The Artist Rights Alliance's letter reflects this movement, with advocacy groups and artist unions pushing legislators and tech companies to control AI's use.