More than 200 recording artists of all ages and genres have signed an open letter denouncing the use of AI (artificial intelligence) in the music industry.
It was put together by the non-profit Artist Rights Alliance and signed by mainstream artists, including Billie Eilish, Kacey Musgraves, Ja Rule, Jon Bon Jovi, The Jonas Brothers, Katy Perry, Miranda Lambert, Camila Cabello, Imagine Dragons, J Balvin, Ja Rule, Jon Batiste, Julia Michaels, Kim Petras, Mumford & Sons, Nicki Minaj, Norah Jones, Pearl Jam, R.E.M. Sam Smith, Sheryl Crow, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Zayn Malik and the estates of Bob Marley and Frank Sinatra, and many others.
The letter urges industry leaders to “cease the use of artificial intelligence to infringe upon and devalue the rights of human artists,” warning against deepfakes and cloning, which are becoming major concerns. While the organization says technology will keep evolving, it wants protections from AI being used in certain ways.
It also notes that “irresponsible uses of AI” could lead to decreased royalty payments for artists. “For many working musicians, artists, and songwriters who are just trying to make ends meet, this would be catastrophic,” the letter says.
“We believe that, when used responsibly, AI has enormous potential to advance human creativity and in a manner that enables the development and growth of new and exciting experiences for music fans everywhere,” it continues. “Unfortunately, some platforms and developers are employing AI to sabotage creativity and undermine artists, songwriters, musicians and rightsholders.”
“Unchecked, AI will set in motion a race to the bottom that will degrade the value of our work and prevent us from being fairly compensated for it,” the letter concludes. “We must protect against the predatory use of AI to steal professional artists’ voices and likenesses, violate creators’ rights, and destroy the music ecosystem.”
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The letter comes as conversations about the use of AI continue across the entertainment industry, from films and television to music. Last year’s actors’ and writers’ strikes were partly driven by union members demanding job protection as AI usage increased.
In March, country artists widely supported Tennessee Republican Governor Bill Lee signing the ELVIS Act (Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security Act), which protects artists from the unauthorized use of their voice, name, image, and likeness, as The Daily Wire previously reported.
The law, the first of its kind in the U.S., allows artists and license holders to sue for damages when it is violated.