Singer Aidan Sammut has the industry speaking out after he complained about a song designed to inspire new artists when AI-generated instruments were used. The event has sparked renewed interest in the influence of AI on the music industry, as well as concerns about the availability of opportunities for human musicians.According to 702 ABC Sydney, Aidan Sammut was on stage with his friends preparing for their gig in Sydney’s inner west when he heard that one of the artists on the line, Afro Charles, had used AI music in their music.“We were like, ‘How is this going to work? What is the work going to be like?’ Samut said. “I was shocked and then the shock turned to disgust, I think. I was just kind of upset that this could actually happen.”The event took place on Wednesday and was created especially for small groups that are trying to establish themselves in music. Sammut expressed his displeasure at being in the same line as the AI system. “My main issue is that the space that was given to the AI artist could have been given to a group of people. That event was mainly for small groups that are trying to get started in the scene,” he said.
The creator protects the AI music track
Damian Amamoo, the founder of the group Afro Charles, defended his idea of using artificial intelligence in his music and said that its use is clearly seen in music television. “There is a post that says we are a group of three, made up of two avatars or robots and a person. And the person does the singing,” he explained.Amamoo launched his afro pop group late last year using an AI platform for music production. Afro Charles has three members: Amamoo and two “avatars” whose voices are generated by AI. He presented AI as a tool similar to traditional tools used in music production.
The event organizer accepts responsibility
The record company that booked the event released a statement acknowledging their oversight. “We are fully responsible for not monitoring the social media of the artists and we did not encourage the use of AI,” he said. “The organization and the venue have never known and will not book people who use AI to make music,” he added.
Sammut’s criticism of AI in music
Sammut disagreed with Amamoo’s view on using AI music generators. “It comes from the theft of people’s art. I think it has a long way to go and a lot of things to be solved before it becomes a legitimate part of music production,” he said.The up-and-coming singer stressed that even digital music production using other tools is still driven by human creativity. “With drum machines, DJs and electronic dance music, this kind of thing, even though it’s digital, it’s still human information that drives the work. To make a good plan for a drum machine or anything, you still need to really understand what it takes to make a good song,” he explained.
Recent plays represent one of the few sources of income for an emerging musician like Sammut. He also expressed concern that AI players will become more common and reduce the chances of artists being paid. “As someone who is trying to make a career out of producing live music and releasing it, it’s disappointing to see this being pushed so hard on the music industry as a cheap way to pay people,” he said.Sammut expressed hope that venues will be more attentive in the future when booking artists. “I think what worries me now is the possibility that these types of things could slip through the cracks,” he said.
Location solutions and policy changes
A licensee at the venue explained the confusion surrounding the booking. When asked by Amamoo, he was told that Afro Charles is a music producer. “To me it can mean a lot of things, a person on stage and a synth,” said Rory Summers.The site emphasized that they want to be neutral when it comes to music they like and give space to different artists. “As a place, we don’t want to be inconsistent with taste. We just want to be a place for people to come and connect. Not all the music that’s being played here is my cup of tea,” Summers said.In response to the controversy, the venue donated the bar’s profits from the night to an organization supporting those in the music industry. In addition, the site has now changed its booking process to ask artists if AI is used in their music, to ensure that in future events it will appear.