OPINION: Is AR Rahman right in calling use of AI in music an ‘evil’ and would it affect equilibrium of creators?

In a recent interview with The Week, AR Rahman expressed his dismay at using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in modern music. While acknowledging that technology has its advantages, the celebrated musician also revered how people would interpret it for their own gains.

The rise of AI in cinema has paved the way for various advantages and it is visible to see how mainstream filmmakers make use of the same. However, was the music director right in calling out the same as an “evil?” 

While we can understand that the composer is expressing his perspective on the subject, does AI pose a threat that is likely to cause chaos for upcoming moviemakers and musicians?

Is it right to use AI-generated music in mainstream cinema?

The advent and progress of AI in today’s world is undoubtedly a double-edged sword that has taken us through some interesting and terrifying instances. While many have used AI as a means of generating new content and entertaining people, we have also seen it being misused, especially when it is unregulated.

There have been instances when the identities of others are misinterpreted using AI to confuse the common people. The authenticity of these computer-generated visuals and audio has made it hard for us to differentiate between what is real and what is not, even after understanding the problematic instances that occur from them.

Understanding all of this, we can easily comprehend how AI has been embedding its roots deeper and deeper into people’s lives, much like a poison you can’t live without. Now, what does all this have to do with using AI in mainstream music?

The reality of AI replacing authentic musicians is simply the start of the monopoly it would play in the music industry. The so-called musicians who use AI in their tracks are not sampling or interpolating like the older generation of composers but simply analyzing an existing creator’s work and creating something new by claiming it as their own.

The use of taking a particular music composer’s style of creation and turning it into something new with a matter of a few clicks does not constitute creating something artistic and creative. The lack of finding innovation in creation would just continue to keep us on a loop of the same mediocre music being formulated and served again.

In the early days of cinema and music, we experienced creative masterpieces that are considered timeless even today. Many movies have songs composed by legends like Ilaiyaraaja and AR Rahman that still manage to tug at our heartstrings due to this very reason. Even the magical voices of singers like the late SP Balasubrahmanyam and KJ Yesudas are enjoyed by people because they spend hours creating something new out of the pre-existing.

Check out songs by Ilaiyaraaja and AR Rahman here:

As of now, many people would go on to support these kinds of formulaic songs, which would go viral on social media or in public spaces. However, the point of saturation would come to a peak when everyone would find it hard to sit through the same EDM sample or repetitive rhythmic progression being offered in every single song.

Be it good or bad, people would start to listen to authentic music by actual creators rather than rehashed versions of previous years. This, accompanied by nostalgia, might be the reason why many people still prefer listening to old songs to new ones.

A talented filmmaker like Mani Ratnam and his movies are all the more memorable with the music they presented us with. Whether it is collaborations with Ilaiyaraaja like Anjali, Mouna Ragam, or Thalapathi and collaborations with ARR on movies like Alai Payuthey, Dil Se, Kannathil Muthamittal, or Bombay, we still croon to the songs and enjoy the visuals.

See a song from Mani Ratnam’s Kannathil Muthamittal:

Now, filmmakers also create music videos keeping in mind promoting them on social media, with abrupt cuts and archaic dance moves with hook steps, which also make every song seem the same. However, that is a whole other conversation topic in itself.

Was AR Rahman calling misuse of AI evil?

In a simple one-word answer, yes. The use of AI in an unregulated manner tends to create a space where mediocre musicians get a rise in fame with the upward trend while actual songwriters and composers are termed “underrated” by the audience.

However, isn’t it the audience who decides which person stays underrated or not? Why gatekeep something great and keep on consuming the same repetitive tracks for mere likes and views?

Owing to the rising popularity of AI as a novelty, it would seem that it could replace the artistic integrity an actual person possesses. However, it does not create something new but rather makes a copy of a copy.

On the other hand, there are advantages of AI in music too, which have also been expressed by musicians in helping them refine and fine-tune their programming of songs. In the same context, musicians have also managed to bring back the voices of late singers to new songs with the use of AI.

Be it AR Rahman in Lal Salaam or Anirudh Ravichander in Vettaiyan, both the musicians brought back the voices of singers who are no longer with us. However, they did not blatantly use their voices at their own will but rather sought permission from the singers’ families and even paid them remuneration.

In such a sense, we could still enjoy new songs with singers who are no longer existing with us. Acknowledging this as well, it is safe to assume that if properly used, in a regulated manner, and under conditions, AI could help the process of creating music much easier and not replace anyone with actual knowledge.

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