AI Music Backlash

There’s been a kerfuffle online recently about an AI “band” that’s either fully AI-generated or just pretending to be, depending on who you ask. According to the AI Daily Brief podcast I just listened to (which I highly recommend for a thoughtful take), the host suspects the band is fueling this ambiguity intentionally—either to manufacture a viral controversy or to drive traffic through shock value.

Honestly, neither scenario sits well with me.

As someone who creates AI-assisted music, I find these kinds of stunts damaging. They confuse the conversation for those of us who are genuinely exploring what’s possible with these tools. AI in music isn’t a gimmick to me. It’s not about headlines or stunts.

For me, most of my songs begin the same way it always has—with a broken heart and a pencil. My songs are rooted in human stories, written by a human being who’s lived every lyric. I use AI as a tool to help shape those stories into finished songs—but the emotions, the themes, the narratives? They’re mine. All too human.

AI isn’t a replacement for creativity. It’s an amplifier. It’s opening doors for millions of people—people without access to expensive studios, session musicians, or industry connections—to finally bring their music to life. That’s where the real promise lies: in democratizing creative expression.

For me, the conversation we should be having isn’t whether AI music is “real.” It’s about creative intent, transparency, and the deeply personal stories being told through new technology. It’s about finding new ways to tell time-honored human stories.