The rise of artificial intelligence tools has led to the creation of fake musical tributes on YouTube, sparking concerns over copyright issues and the dissemination of disinformation. A recent example involves a tribute to slain US activist Charlie Kirk, attributed to British singer Adele, but generated using AI technology. The song, which bears little resemblance to Adele’s voice, has garnered numerous comments from unsuspecting viewers.
These AI-generated songs can be created from simple text prompts, mimicking the voices of celebrity artists without their knowledge or consent. Similar tributes, attributed to stars like Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber, have collectively amassed millions of views and thousands of comments. The trend has raised questions about the protection of vocal and visual likenesses under copyright law.
According to Alex Mahadevan, from the nonprofit media institute Poynter, the internet is being flooded with AI-generated content, replacing creative work with “slop created by grifters aiming to make money.” Mahadevan expressed concern that users are becoming passive consumers of content, rather than active digital citizens.
YouTube’s policy requires creators to disclose when they have used AI tools to generate content, but this disclosure is often buried in the video description and easily overlooked. The emergence of AI music generators, such as Suno, has made it possible for users to create songs from text prompts, mimicking famous artists and creating entire songs on demand.
The trend has sparked a debate about the regulation of AI-generated content, with some calling for restrictions on the commercialization of likeness generation. Lucas Hansen, co-founder of the nonprofit CivAI, expects legal restrictions on the commercialization of AI-generated content, but notes that existing laws are less strict towards non-monetized content.
In response to the growing concern, the Recording Industry Association of America has sued two music generators, including Suno, over alleged copyright infringement. Last year, over 200 artists, including Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj, wrote an open letter to AI developers and tech platforms, calling for an end to the “assault on human creativity” and the protection of artists’ rights.
As the use of AI-generated content continues to grow, it is likely that we will see increased regulation and scrutiny of these tools. The significance of this trend lies in its potential to disrupt the music industry and raise important questions about the value of creative work in the digital age.