This Is Uncanny, Almost Surreal

Renowned British musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer Steven Wilson – most widely known as the mastermind behind several musical projects since the 1980s, including the acclaimed rock band Porcupine Tree – has voiced his genuine concerns about the increasing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in the music industry.

Wilson‘s remarks came after discovering several tracks where AI technology had been used to replicate his voice and produce new songs. In a recent social media post, he reflected on the potential future of music, stating: “For the last few years when I’ve been asked in interviews about the future of music, I’ve talked about a scenario I fully expect to happen whereby musicians wouldn’t be needed anymore, and neither would pre-recorded tracks. Music will be made in real-time for listeners by artificial intelligence depending on their requirements at that moment.”

“You will choose the singer that you want to sing the song for you (Freddie Mercury, Aretha Franklin, John Lennon whoever), the subject matter you want them to sing about, and the musical genre. And it will generate that piece of music for you in real-time, at which point you can choose to save it away for a future listen, share it with your friends, or erase it,” Wilson explained.

“For me personally, things just took a big step further in that direction with several artificial intelligence-created Steven Wilson tracks that have been brought to my attention. I don’t know who created them or what their motivation was, but even I really struggle to hear that it’s not me singing these songs. No matter what I might think about the quality of the music, this is uncanny, almost surreal.”

Wilson emphasized the significant shift occurring in music creation and consumption. He pondered whether people genuinely care if the music they listen to is performed by a human being or generated by an AI.

“We’re in the midst of a seismic change in the way music is made and how people engage with it. Do the majority even care that they aren’t listening to a human being? The future bites indeed. Please let me know your thoughts.”