The Velvet Sundown case: exploring AI's growing impact on creative expression
The Velvet Sundown, a new musical sensation, generated more than 1.5 million streams and 900,000 monthly Spotify listeners in just weeks with their soft-rock sound. A new musical phenomenon one could think, however, digital forensics revealed they were 100% AI-generated. The band was created as an "artistic provocation" designed to challenge the boundaries of authorship and identity in music.
The controversy exposes a rapidly growing issue, AI-generated music across popular streaming websites. Deezer, a French music streaming service, reports that 18% of all newly uploaded music is now fully AI-generated, with numbers rising fast. As AI music competes directly with human artists for streaming royalties without any labelling requirements, the industry faces urgent questions about transparency, fair compensation, intellectual property rights, and the future of authentic human creativity.
The question we are now facing is how will AI continue to impact creativity - this extends beyond the music industry to visual arts, film, publishing, fashion etc. As AI tools become more sophisticated, society will need to reassess how we value human creativity and how we can make sure to protect it.
Find out more here: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/ai-band-the-velvet-sundown-confirm-ai-1235379354/