Hundreds of musicians have united under the banner of the Artist Rights Alliance (ARA) non-profit organization to denounce the encroachment of artificial intelligence (AI) in the music industry.
A scathing open letter, released on Monday via Medium and authored by numerous prominent musicians affiliated with the ARA, calls upon AI developers, technology firms, platforms, and digital music services to halt the exploitation of AI technology, which undermines the rights and creativity of human artists.
Signed by over 200 individuals from the music industry, including notable figures such as Nicki Minaj, Billie Eilish, Metro Boomin, and Katy Perry, the letter represents a unified front against the misuse of AI.
It accuses certain platforms and AI developers of using the technology to stifle creativity and erode the rights of artists, songwriters, and musicians.
According to the ARA, artists are determined to safeguard their voices, likenesses, and creative rights from the predatory use of AI. They argue that the proliferation of AI-generated content poses a significant threat to the music ecosystem, jeopardizing the livelihoods of working musicians and diminishing the value of human artistry.
Jen Jacobsen, Executive Director of the Artist Rights Alliance, issued a stark warning about the ramifications of AI in the music industry.
“Working musicians are already struggling to make ends meet in the streaming world, and now they have the added burden of trying to compete with a deluge of AI-generated noise,” Jacobsen said. “The unethical use of generative AI to replace human artists will devalue the entire music ecosystem—for artists and fans alike.”
