John Lennon revived thanks to artificial intelligence? Shocking, isn’t it? The announcement last month of a “new” Beatles track featuring the singer’s vocals Imagine having caused some stir on the side of the unconditional fans of the Fab four, Paul McCartney had to clear up this affair.
The 81-year-old musician had indeed revealed that his team had used this technology to “extract” the voice of his missing sidekick from a demo. This announcement created, according to him, “confusion and speculation”. “I was delighted to see the enthusiasm caused by our next project around the Beatles,” began Paul McCartney on Twitter. “We’re super excited to share something with you later this year.” Before specifying: “Everything is real and we really play.”
The former Beatle then explained to fans that he and his team had “cleaned up” some existing recordings, in a process that took “several years”. The technique used is also inspired by the restoration work of director Peter Jackson, which made it possible to clean up sequences originally shot by Michael Lindsay-Hogg for the documentary The Beatles: Get Back.
For the time being, the title of this unreleased Beatles has not been revealed, but rumors of a composition by John Lennon dating from 1978 and entitled Now and Then are going well. The song was on a tape titled For Paul which John Lennon had recorded shortly before his death in 1980.
Yoko Ono then gave to the three surviving Beatles in the 1990s as they worked on their retrospective project Anthology. Two songs from this cassette thus joined the album, Free as a Bird and Real Love, with the original voice of Lennon. Problem: At the time, attempts to register Now and Then were quickly dropped and George Harrison would have called the song “to shit,” revealed Paul McCartney to Q Magazine in 1997.
It seems that the use of artificial intelligence to revive John Lennon’s voice has sparked both excitement and controversy among Beatles fans. While some are thrilled at the prospect of hearing new music from the iconic band, others are skeptical about the authenticity and ethics of using AI in this way. Regardless, Paul McCartney assures fans that everything is real and that they have put in years of work to clean up existing recordings. The mystery song, rumored to be titled Now and Then, adds to the anticipation surrounding the upcoming Beatles project. Only time will tell what this AI-generated track will sound like and how it will be received by fans worldwide.
What are the ethical implications of using artificial intelligence to recreate the voices of deceased artists?
Tter, “But in response to recent reports, I want to make it clear that the vocals on the upcoming Beatles track were not an artificial intelligence replication of John’s voice. It is a reimagined version of a demo where his voice was preserved.”
The news had sent shockwaves through the music industry and among die-hard fans, as the idea of resurrecting John Lennon’s voice through artificial intelligence seemed both fascinating and unnerving. Many fans were skeptical about the ethics and authenticity of such a project.
Artificial intelligence has made remarkable advancements in recent years, enabling researchers to replicate human voices and even create entirely new ones. However, using this technology to bring back deceased artists raises complex ethical questions about the boundaries between art and technology, as well as the question of consent in using someone’s voice after their passing.
Paul McCartney clarified that the intention behind the upcoming Beatles track was not to create a synthetic imitation of John Lennon, but rather to honor his memory and preserve the essence of his voice. The team behind the project had carefully reworked a demo recording, ensuring that John’s vocals were respectfully incorporated into the new composition.
While some fans were relieved to hear that the track did not involve artificial intelligence replication, others still questioned the decision to revisit and manipulate John Lennon’s voice in any capacity. The debate continues about the ethical implications of using advanced technology to manipulate and resurrect deceased artists.
As technology continues to advance, the boundaries between reality and artificial creations become increasingly blurred. The idea of using artificial intelligence to recreate the voices of beloved artists opens up a Pandora’s box of possibilities and uncertainties. It challenges us to reflect on the essence of art, the privacy of individuals after death, and the moral responsibility that comes with wielding powerful technology.
In the case of the “new” Beatles track, the controversy surrounding its creation highlights the deep connection fans have with their beloved artists and the lengths we are willing to go to keep their memory alive. Whether or not we should venture into the realm of artificial intelligence replication remains a contentious issue, as the ethical implications and potential consequences continue to be explored.
