Damien Roach, who performs as “Patten,” is embracing new technology and releasing music created entirely from AI-samples. After discovering the AI-music tool Riffusion in December, he produced 48 hours worth of material that developed into the 21-track album “Mirage FM.” The house, garage, pop, and grime mixture can be streamed for free on SoundCloud and YouTube and is the first album of its kind produced almost entirely with AI-tools without post-production or other synthesizers or samples.
Some are worried about AI-generated music, with a Drake and The Weeknd song going viral in April and even some fans buying “leaked tracks” that turned out to be AI-generated. Major record labels and streaming platforms, like Spotify, have said they will work to protect artists from imitation or remove AI-generated content. But Roach believes this should not be a black and white issue, since AI tools can offer increased accessibility for expression rather than opposition.
This has sparked some legal questions, as copyright possession requires human authorship and it is unclear if the creation process is substantial enough for copyright protection. And although the US copyright office has recently made rulings to protect AI-generated content such as that used by Midjourney, there are still gray areas with the legality.
AI-music is surely a new technology that’s causing a mix of worry and opportunity for artists, with some embracing its potential and others wanting to protect their original work. Roach is an example of someone open to its potential, but it’s important for the industry to manage questions about legality and ethics in order for AI-generated content to be enjoyed without infringing on others’ rights.
