What are the ethics of AI in music?
Overview
Around the world, artists and regular people are using generative AI models to create new music. Unfortunately, AI poses risks to artists’ creative rights. What is more important: general access to music making or protecting the artists who make music? How can the music industry use AI responsibly? In this lesson, students will craft their own ideas about AI ethics in music, then defend their thinking in a debate.
- AI & Arts
- 45 minutes
Digital Materials
Objectives
After this experience, students will be able to
- Explain both sides of the debate on whether musicians need protection from generative AI
- Identify the tradeoffs of limiting vs. not limiting generative AI in music
- Propose balanced solutions that consider both artist and industry perspectives
Questions explored
- Should copyrights on music prevent software engineers from using a song in their data sets?
- If AI produces a track in the style of a real artist, does the artist have a claim to the track?
- If you were a performing artist, would you want AI to have the ability to create music using your voice and style?
Key Terms
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI, Gen AI)
- AI that creates new content like text, images, music, and voice by itself, showing creativity.