The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) in generating art has sparked debates and concerns within the creative community. While many artists are worried about copyright infringements due to AI-generated art, Canadian musician and producer Grimes has publicly voiced her support for the technology.
Grimes recently took to Twitter to express her willingness to collaborate with AI creators using her voice. She stated that she would treat AI-generated music the same as any other collaborative project, offering to split royalties evenly. Specifically, Grimes is prepared to share 50% of the royalties from any successful AI-generated song featuring her voice.
I'll split 50% royalties on any successful AI generated song that uses my voice. Same deal as I would with any artist i collab with. Feel free to use my voice without penalty. I have no label and no legal bindings. pic.twitter.com/KIY60B5uqt
— 𝔊𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 (@Grimezsz) April 24, 2023
The artist noted that she is not affiliated with any major music label, which frees her from potential intellectual property rights conflicts. Grimes went on to express her enthusiasm for the fusion of art and technology, stating that she finds it “cool to be fused with a machine.” She also expressed her support for open-sourcing art and putting an end to copyright restrictions.
Grimes indicated her curiosity about the potential of AI-generated music and her interest in being a “guinea pig” for the technology. In her initial tweet, she referenced a recent incident in which AI-generated tracks mimicking Drake and The Weeknd stirred controversy. In response, Universal Music Group warned major streaming services against allowing AI access to their catalogs for learning purposes, vowing to protect the rights of the artists they represent.
Separately, Grimes announced that she is working with a team of developers to create a voice simulation program that will be made available to the public.
We're making a program that should simulate my voice well but we could also upload stems and samples for ppl to train their own
— 𝔊𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 (@Grimezsz) April 24, 2023
Despite Grimes’ enthusiasm, AI-generated deep fakes, which involve manipulating images and voices, have raised significant ethical concerns. Recently, a German tabloid published a fabricated interview with former Formula One driver Michael Schumacher using AI-generated content. Even those within the tech industry are expressing unease, as evidenced by reports of Google employees’ concerns over the company’s upcoming AI-chatbot.”