Sting speaks out against AI songs: ‘That’s going to be a battle we all have to fight’ 

Virgin Radio

18 May 2023, 13:20

Legendary musician Sting has had his say on Artificial Intelligence in songwriting, and he’s not a fan.

The former Police frontman and renowned solo artist has warned of a “battle” with AI, and that songwriters will need to defend their work. 

“The building blocks of music belong to us, to human beings,” he said in a new interview with the BBC. 

“That’s going to be a battle we all have to fight in the next couple of years: Defending our human capital against AI.”

Regarding AI-created music, he said: “It's similar to the way I watch a movie with CGI. It doesn't impress me at all.” 

Revealing that he gets “immediately bored” when seeing a computer-generated image, the artist added: “I imagine I will feel the same way about AI making music. Maybe for electronic dance music, it works. But for songs, you know, expressing emotions, I don't think I will be moved by it."

Last month, an Oasis reunion was imagined using AI. An eight-track album, called AISIS, was made up of completely original music by Hastings band Breezer, with AI technology able to replace the original singer’s vocal with Liam’s.

Nirvana, The Beatles, and Queen have all received the AI treatment lately too.

Peter Gabriel recently suggested that musicians should get onboard with the advances in technology. The ex-Genesis legend told Uncut magazine: “I can’t think of anyone whose job couldn’t be done better by Al in 10 years time, maybe five. For instance, when I drive down to the studio, my Tesla is doing a lot of the driving for me – but I’m still keeping my hands on the wheel."

He added: “The same thing is going to happen more in any process, including creativity. With some of the AI, half the artists want to play with it and half want to shut it down.”