The emergence of AI technology has changed the landscape for music creation. With the help of voice generators and model programming, it’s possible to develop convincing musical voices in just a few hours. This has led many to wonder if AI can help them become the next musical star.
Individuals are increasingly using AI-powered tools like Voicify and ChatGPT to create their own custom celebrity voices. A YouTube tech expert, Roberto Nickson, has even attracted attention for his AI-generated Kanye West impression, which went viral in March. Nickson chose the rapper’s voice as the best voice model available at the time. When paired with a Ye-style beat he found on YouTube, Nickson’s Ye-voiced verses made him sound as if he were apologizing for his antisemitic outbursts. However, ethical questions were raised about using a black American voice when Nickson is not African-American.
Nickson’s tutorials have inspired many to enroll in AI hubs on Discord, where they can find links to programming tools. The tools have abstruse names, but it’s possible to use them without programming experience. Modellers formulate voice models from a cappella recordings, which are then turned into sets of data. The processing takes several hours to create a convincing musical voice. Modellers call this training, as if the vocal clone were a pet.
As AI technology continues to evolve, there is no doubt that it will revolutionize the music industry. However, it remains unclear whether AI-generated music will ever replace the creativity and talent of human musicians. Despite the potential ethical concerns and uncertainty, it is an interesting technological development that is worth keeping an eye on.
