We are living at a technological turning point, where we have the opportunity to define how we want our lives to operate moving forward. Machine learning, also referred to as AI, is developing so rapidly that if we don’t get control of it, our opportunity to establish the rules will pass us by.
As a music and sound pro, as well as a film aficionado, I understand wanting to use AI applications for some tasks. But I also want to watch beautiful films made by genius human directors. Ultimately, we should use AI in the audio post field to take repetitive tasks off the plate of sound designers and mixers so they can focus on the art. Beyond those applications, we must take more ownership over the exponential improvement of AI tools — as we probably should have done with the internet.
Where the Internet Faltered
Back in 1996, the now-famous Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act was introduced. It freed social media platforms from liability for the content their users posted (to an extent). We didn’t even have social media platforms back in 1996 as we would define them now. Instead of regulation to prevent the soaring scourge of harmful web content, which can be directly tied to some of our worst human disasters, we worried about whether platforms could be sued for said content. We needed more then, like we need more now, while AI is still young and before its programs become runaway trains. Fortunately, futurists are lobbying for these protections, and some US lawmakers are talking about possible legislation.
For now, AI is at the mercy of its coders. They try to add guardrails, but those guardrails are subjective because coders are human, whether their decisions are right or wrong. Whoever is feeding AI the code imparts morals and taste, often unintentionally. That’s the big downside: AI relies on human input, which is why we shouldn’t rely on it 100%. We want the perspective of an artist, not just a coder — no offense to coders. We love coders!
Where AI Fits In
AI can aid in unencumbered human creativity. For example, Mr. Bronx offers voice-over services, and sometimes a take is perfectly fine… except for one syllable of one word. If we need to clean the audio, and when algorithmic restoration tools aren’t cutting it, a generative AI platform could interpolate that one syllable based on the rest of the voice recording. Otherwise, we would have to rebook the talent and the space and juggle schedules, which takes hours of planning and execution. A simple three-second fix could save everyone valuable time.
We use AI programs in various ways, from sound design to mixing. There are algorithmic programs, like iZotope’s restoration plugins with AI capabilities. Our clients might make scratch records and background voices using ElevenLabs, a generative speech tool. That’s the fun thing: You can use these tools for wild art. I follow an Instagram account called “There I Ruined It,” which creates fun hypotheticals like, “What if Madonna wrote ‘What Was I Made For?’” and other content with the aid of AI programs. Those videos take work, though; you would have to re-sing the track to teach an AI program the song’s vocal delivery, feed the AI a voice, edit the result, etc. It’s much more time-consuming than people realize.
I personally love using text tools like ChatGPT as a sounding board to clarify my ideas. It can generate outlines for my thoughts or help organize my keyboard-smashing into a coherent statement. I love getting my ideas down quickly and using prompts to make a framework. The trick is not to use that framework as the final result.
The Artists
I want to be very clear: My goal is to advocate for artists. Human artists. Nothing is exciting about pressing a button and getting a finished piece — even if it’s stunning — in 30 seconds. I’ve had many conversations with fellow movie and music fans, and there seems to be a common thread: the wonder and joy we get from thinking, “How did a person create that?” I personally find myself asking, “How does Taylor Swift write so many songs? How did Tarantino think up and make Pulp Fiction?” The awesome part is that the art seems to be pulled from the ether by the artist. We need regulations on how to use machine learning tools in order to protect human creativity. Artistic creation should not be sacrificed; it’s far too important to the human experience.
For instance, we could do with expanding and standardizing “digital watermarking.” That is, use metadata to hide subtle changes in the digital asset so it’s easily apparent whether it was AI-generated. The Instagram account I mentioned earlier is about artistic satire and not for actual, publishable content.
The singer Drake just had to contend with Tupac’s estate for what they called his “unauthorized use of Tupac’s voice and personality” in the track “Taylor Made Freestyle.” Free internet experiments spur conversation, but where money is concerned — especially if AI-generated content prevents artists from due compensation — AI should never be involved.
I view AI as a tool intended to complement and enhance artists’ work rather than replace it. Its capacity to streamline tasks and afford artists more time for creativity is undeniably valuable. Yet, this must be accompanied by stringent guidelines and regulations to steer AI’s development responsibly. We must acknowledge the inherent biases embedded in the coding process and approach AI with cautious excitement, ensuring that human oversight remains paramount in directing its evolution. We are at an important crossroads in technology, where we still have control over where AI can take us as long as we approach it correctly. I hope that in the future, AI will be used by artists worldwide as a tool that further enhances their artistic skills.
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