Grammy Awards Set Guidelines on AI in Music: Human Creativity Still Key

“Conversations about AI have reached their peak in the last six months,” says Harvey Mason jr, president of the Recording Academy (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Last month, the Recording Academy announced a series of changes to the Grammy Awards to better reflect the evolution of the music industry. Of those newly instituted guidelines, protocols involving technological advances in machine learning sparked headlines: “Only human creators” could win the music industry’s top award in a decision targeting the use of artificial intelligence in popular music. “A work that does not contain human authorship is not eligible in any category,” the rules say in part.

As the music industry adapts to this new technology, so will the Grammys, says Harvey Mason Jr., CEO and President of the Recording Academy.

It may interest you: Something new, something old, something borrowed, something blue

“This is the easiest: AI, or music containing AI-created elements, is absolutely eligible to enter and be considered for a Grammy nomination. Period,” Mason told The Associated Press. “What’s not going to happen is we’re not going to give a Grammy or a Grammy nomination to the AI ​​part.”

David Guetta uses artificial intelligence to compose (REUTERS / Henry Nicholls)

If an AI or voice modeling program performs lead vocals on a song, the song would be eligible in the composition category, for example, but not in the performance category, because “what is being performed is not a human creation.” , Explain. “Conversely, if a song is sung by a human in the studio and the human is performing it, but the AI ​​writes the lyrics or theme, the song can’t fall into the composition or songwriting categories.

“As long as the human contributes more than the minimum amount, which to us means a significant way, they will always be considered for a nomination or a win,” he continued. “We don’t want technology to replace human creativity. We want to make sure that technology enhances, beautifies, or adds to human creativity. That’s why we’re taking this stance in this awards cycle.”

The Recording Academy has long been considering AI-related standards following the popularity of new AI-powered songs: David Guetta’s “Emin-AI-em”, TikTok user @ghostwriter977’s AI compositions, Grimes’ voice modeling AI software.

To establish its AI guidelines, the Recording Academy conducted extensive research, including holding technology summits.

“The latest Beatles album” was composed using artificial intelligence to extract John Lennon’s voice from an old demo, explained Paul McCartney (photo: Instagram/Alper Yesiltas)

“I have met with the copyright office. We have talked about the future and what it will be like at the federal and legislative levels,” Mason explains, adding that conversations about AI “have reached their peak in the last six months.”

The new Grammy AI protocols were announced three days after Paul McCartney shared that “the latest Beatles record” had been composed using artificial intelligence to extract John Lennon’s voice from an old demo. Without knowing the extent of the technology, Mason could not confirm or deny whether the song would be eligible for a Grammy nomination.

“We’ll see what’s left,” he said. “But I would imagine, from the first descriptions I’ve heard, that there would be components of the creation that would be absolutely eligible.”

So can Grammy viewers expect to see works created at least partially with AI nominated for an award already next year?

It is impossible to predict what will come. But as Mason says, “people are using the technology. I imagine she’s going to be involved in a lot of records and a lot of songs this year, so we’ll see if some of them get nominated or not, but I’m sure there will be a few that show up.”

The 2024 Grammy Awards will return to the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 4, 2024, and will be broadcast live on CBS and livestreamed on Paramount+.

Source: AP

Keep reading

Discord is demanded to ban the creation of music with artificial intelligence that uses celebrity voicesSomething new, something old, something borrowed, something blueArtificial intelligence is seen as a threat to the music industry
2023-07-11 05:11:39
#general #director #Grammys #favor #music #generated #Artificial #Intelligence