Every company seems to be coming out with their own brand of A.I. nowadays. Google’s “Gemini”, Twitter’s “Grok” (let’s not call it X), even Pictionary has an A.I. board game. And I suppose there’s not anything necessarily wrong with that, but it leaves an odd taste in my mouth. As a college student some models may be useful for research or condensing spreadsheets. But is it the easy way out? Is it a shortcut in the learning process?

As an intern at DMV Music Alliance, a resource for musicians and music industry professionals, we see  a tenseness in the air. People are worried how artificial intelligence will affect music making. My worry is that it cannot replace the human element necessary in play, creativity, and life -the foundations of music. When something gives you what you need at the click of a button, no one learns, well I guess except the A.I., which trains off every input inserted. Music now must coexist in a world of quick consumption, production, and easy creation.

With technology such as Udio, Suno, Boomy and Limewire, anyone with a computer can create music within seconds. This technology allows people to make instrumental music quickly, instead of after years of practice and thus might discourage learning – how to play the piano, chords or perfecting one’s pitch. And why even try when A.I. can spit out a song in 2 minutes? There are over a 100 million songs on Spotify. And recently more and more are products of artificial intelligence. Perhaps the most famous is the song “Heart on My Sleeve” which spurred the “fake Drake” scandal in 2023. The author, known as Ghostwriter, used an A.I. voice modeling software to imitate Drake’s voice and style. It was eventually taken down for copyright infringement. It was later revealed Ghostwriter worked in the music industry for many years and grew frustrated with his lack of progress. No one ever gave him a break. Once he used A.I., everything changed. His dream of making a hit song came true. In the aftermath of “fake Drake,” Spotify removed tens of thousands of these artificially created songs. And as of 2024 they are allowed if the creator holds the copyrights.

But these short-term, quick buck earners are more serious than what may seem like silly tunes. When A.I. begins to write the music, we lose our essential human need to create, to learn and to challenge ourselves. Famous musician Roy Ayers once said, “The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers.” So, when the machine becomes the message and the messenger, we are deprived of a chance to connect. And we lose the chance to connect with ourselves. True growth and self-realization come from challenging oneself, whether in the form of learning an instrument or not.

Likewise, in Fredrich Nietzsche’s famous novel, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, he belabors over the idea of chaos, transformation, and creativity. I reference this because he writes that acknowledging one’s shortcomings and imperfections can be a driving force for growth. The struggle within oneself, the confrontation of discomfort, and the acceptance of imperfections are all essential components for the birth of a vibrant, dynamic individual. He warns, “Beware! The time of the most contemptible human is coming, the one who can no longer have contempt for himself.” This cautionary advice explains if we are to succumb to a society fixated on comfort, we lose any chance to transform.

So, if we seek the easy way out by getting quick results without putting in the effort, are we limiting our ability to grow and learn?

We live in a world of instant gratification, shortcuts, sound bites, and quick tutorials. Our attention span is becoming shorter and shorter. There’s a reason why TikTok, InstaReels, and YouTube Shorts are massive hits. The temptation to click that button for that magical panacea is always looming.

I spoke to Skyler Branden, Director of Artificial Intelligence at Solsticio, Rebelde, and Company, and he said, “We are at the dawn of a new technological revolution. Think of it as digital industrialization for the new age. A.I. will transform how we work, play, and live.” He states that the changes to come in music are big. Especially for those who create in the background comp and track segment market. There are dozens of specialized start-ups, run by music composers, who are training A.I. (known as Large Language Models or LLMs) with music from around the world. They will offer music of any type, style, and length to their clients completely royalty-free.” Furthermore many of these companies are offering compensation to the artists for the use of their music, which was not always the case. This practice is evolving and seems to be heading in the right direction. In the long-term, though, music library houses (stock and original) will dramatically change. The need for signed artists will greatly diminish. That is the reality.

But he argues it’s not all doom and gloom. Musicians will not be replaced. He states, “A.I. tools can help aspiring artists become better and indispensable. Those who embrace the new technology will be able to thrive in the future. They will have the power to identify target audiences, maximize social media exposure, create media chatter for publicity, spot merchandising opportunities, and pinpoint which songs will likely be a hit at any given moment in time. They won’t have to be dependent on a big label to help them or wait around to be discovered. They will be able to chart their own path. Their competitive advantage will be differentiation. The uniqueness that only a brilliant human artist can produce.”

So, if we harness A.I. and use it in ways that help musicians instead of hurting, then perhaps there is a silver lining. Branden argued that embracing this technology will not stunt growth but will help us evolve. And while A.I. can help, the foundations of music still need to be learned by the person. “You still need to know the fundamentals of what you are creating,” he said.

In his opinion, the best A.I. artists are the ones who use it to enhance and/or augment their work. Yes, A.I. can generate text, sound, music, images, and video, but only a true human artist knows if the composition or structure is correct or if it needs extra work. One cannot code real emotion and life, only simulate it.

Whether A.I. is a fad or here to stay, people will always need people to create music, and listen to one another. Kurt Vonnegut once wrote, “Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”

Let’s stop focusing on the short-term outcomes but on the long-term benefits of picking up a new skill such as learning an instrument, because what matters is the transformation and challenge. And we might use A.I. along the way as a tool, but it cannot replace the humanity required.