AI models have learned to create their own music by harvesting millions of songs from the internet. But critics say they’re using musicians’ work without permission, and three major record labels are suing them for ‘copyright infringement on an almost unimaginable scale’.

In the second episode of this two part series, the FT’s pop critic Ludovic Hunter-Tilney speaks to campaigners and lawyers about the legal battle over AI generators, and to artists about the growth of AI music on streaming platforms. How are AI generated songs racking up millions of listens? And should streaming platforms do anything to stop it?

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This series of Tech Tonic is presented by Ludovic Hunter-Tilney. The producers are Lulu Smyth and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Edwin Lane is the senior producer, Flo Phillips is the executive producer. Sound design by Breen Turner and Samantha Giovinco. Original Music by Metaphor Music. Fact checking by Miatta Mbriwa and Megan Hill. Manuela Saragosa is the FT’s acting co-head of audio.

Music used in this episode:

‘Dust on the Wind’ - The Velvet Sundown

‘The’ – Is This What We Want by 1000+ artists

‘Chasing Horizons’ - generated by Udio

‘Euphoria in Motion’ - generated by Udio

‘Drift Beyond the Flame’ – The Velvet Sundown

‘The Thrill of Loneliness’ - Hana Stretton

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Generative AI models trained on vast swaths of popular music can create songs almost indistinguishable from human-made work. For some, they represent the future of pop music. For others, they threaten to flood the world with ‘AI slop’, drowning out the work of human artists, stealing musicians' jobs, and ending the process of music-making as we know it. Is this just a case of technophobia? Or could AI music generators replace human musicians altogether?

In the first in a two-part series, the FT’s pop critic Ludovic Hunter-Tilney speaks to musicians and artists about the inventive power of generative AI in music, as well as the potential threat it might pose to musicians’ livelihoods and the music industry as a whole.

This series of Tech Tonic is presented by Ludovic Hunter-Tilney. The producers are Lulu Smyth and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Edwin Lane is the senior producer, Flo Phillips is the executive producer. Sound design by Breen Turner and Samantha Giovinco. Original Music by Metaphor Music. Manuela Saragosa is the FT’s acting co-head of audio.

Music used in this episode:

‘Chasing Horizons’ - generated by Udio

‘Own the Night” - generated by Udio

‘From Ashes to Madness’ - generated by Udio

‘Workplace Vibes’ - generated by Udio

‘Canaan (Live Training)’ - Holly Herndon. Copyright Herndon Dryhurst Studio

‘Evening Shades (Live Training)’ - Holly Herndon. Copyright Herndon Dryhurst Studio

‘Godmother’ - Holly Herndon. Copyright Herndon Dryhurst Studio

Music from Holly Herndon & Matt Dryhurst: The Call - Copyright Herndon Dryhurst Studio

‘Heart on My Sleeve’ - Ghostwriter977

‘Verknallt in einen Talahon’ - Butterbro / generated by Udio

‘Let it Burn’ - The Velvet Sundown

‘Sexual Healing’ - Written by Marvin Gaye, Odell Brown, and David Ritz. Copyright EMI Blackwood Music Inc. and EMI April Music Inc.

‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ - Written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, Copyright Sony Music Entertainment

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI music generators - platforms that use artificial intelligence to create new, original music from scratch - can make songs that are almost indistinguishable from human creations. For some musicians, they’re the next frontier in music-making technology. But for others, they represent a grave threat, flooding the world with low-grade AI music, stealing the jobs of working musicians, and even spelling the end of the creative process as we know it. Is this just technophobia, or is music facing AI annihilation?

In a new two-part series, the FT’s pop critic Ludovic Hunter-Tilney explores the emerging world of AI music, and the impact it could have on the industry.

Tech Tonic is presented by Ludovic Hunter-Tilney. The producers are Lulu Smyth and Josh Gabert-Doyon. Edwin Lane is the senior producer, Flo Phillips is the executive producer. Sound design by Breen Turner and Samantha Giovinco. Original music by Metaphor Music. Manuela Saragosa and Topher Forhecz are the FT’s acting co-heads of audio.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.