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AI is pushing it…

Drake and The Weeknd’s latest track titled “heart on my sleeve” has been making waves, or so they say. The song, allegedly featuring vocals that mimic Drake and The Weeknd, was posted on YouTube by someone going by the name “ghostwriter.” It’s racked up a whopping 85K views in just one day, and is a pretty daunting look at what the future of AI looks like.

In the song, the AI Drake spits lines like “I came in with my ex like Selena to flex, bumping Justin Bieber the fever ain’t left.”  While the AI version of The Weeknd sings about not caring about Selena Gomez anymore after their breakup in 2017, with lines like “Got these pearls on my neck, got these girls on my check like Selena baby”

Fans are losing their minds over this, with some expressing awe at the supposed capabilities of AI technology. But are we really in a new era or just getting duped by some AI gimmick? YouTube comments are flooded with praise for the track, so it seems not…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VszJPLAtK0U

Drake himself has openly complained about his voice being used by AI in the past. He was less than impressed with the results when his voice was used to cover “Munch (Feelin’ U)” by Ice Spice. He even called it “the final straw.” So, what gives? Is Drake now suddenly okay with his voice being replicated by some mysterious AI ghostwriter?

The use of AI in music has been a hot topic in the industry lately. Universal Music Group (UMG) recently demanded streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music to block AI platforms from using its music to “train” their technology. They claim it’s their moral and commercial responsibility to prevent unauthorised use of their artists’ music.

Whatever the future holds, it certainly does seem like it’s going to be messy if people are resistant to the power of this new tech…