Humans vs. AI: Creativity, Authenticity, and the Battle for Artists’ Rights
by Savannah Bowie | January 23rd, 2025
Artificial intelligence has been evolving for years, but its role in creative fields has become increasingly debated. AI is actively reshaping how music is created, consumed, and marketed, becoming deeply involved in production, songwriting, and fan experiences. As it becomes more ingrained in music, the industry is forced to confront difficult questions about creativity, authenticity, and ownership.
The music industry’s response to artificial intelligence is clearly divided, splitting companies, artists, and listeners into two distinct sides. On one end, AI is viewed as a beneficial tool to boost creativity and speed up the production process, but on the other, it’s seen as a threat to artists’ rights and copyright protections. From broadcast radio companies to major record labels, this divide is unmistakable.
iHeart Radio recently announced its "Guaranteed Human” policy, banning AI-generated music and personalities from its stations, taking a clear stance against AI’s role in broadcasting. Meanwhile, major record labels like Warner Music and Universal Music Group have taken the opposite approach. After settling copyright lawsuits, both labels have struck deals with AI companies, allowing their music catalogs to be used to train AI machines. Warner has at least given artists the option to opt in, but despite this, it remains unclear who truly benefits. If artists aren’t given meaningful control or fair compensation, these deals risk being more of a legal workaround that benefits AI developers than a way to protect artists.
While industry leaders debate regulations and copyright protections, artists are left to navigate what this means for their own work. Some experiment with AI, while others push back over ethical and legal concerns. Singer Teddy Swims recently admitted to using AI in his production process, calling it a “beautiful tool” when used responsibly. For him, AI reduces production time; tasks that could take months can now be completed in seconds. His experience shows why AI can be appealing, but it also raises questions about how dependent artists might be if this becomes the norm.
Though AI isn’t just behind the scenes, it’s becoming an artist itself and gaining recognition. This year, Xania Monet, an R&B AI artist, became the first to debut on a Billboard radio chart (R&B airplay chart). With AI artists entering traditional music spaces and reaching mainstream success, this highlights how quickly the line between human-created and machine-created music is weakening.
Even though AI artists push the limits of the industry, their rise also exposes risks for the human creators behind the music: producers, engineers, songwriters, and countless others. Continued dependence on AI could eliminate the collaborative nature of music. If labels prioritize AI’s efficiency over genuine artistry, it might result in fewer jobs, a shrinking creative community, and a major shift in how music is made.
Streaming platforms have also adopted AI. Spotify, for example, has integrated AI into its system, from music recommendations to the annual Spotify Wrapped release. Spotify Wrapped began as a human-driven, fan-focused project, shaped in part by the idea of a Black female intern—whose contributions remain undercredited—and now incorporates AI into its design. Today, the platform takes its AI use even further with its new “AI Playlist,” which curates playlists based on user prompts. While these tools can improve the app's performance, they also raise concerns about transparency and the undervaluing of human contributions to beloved interactive experiences.
As artificial intelligence advances, it exposes gaps in copyright frameworks that were never designed to handle technology's ability to mimic human art. When record labels allow AI systems to be trained on existing music catalogs, the line between "inspiration" and “imitation” becomes dangerously thin. If an AI machine can perfectly mimic an artist's voice, songwriting style, and music composition, who owns it? How can artists protect their identities and bodies of work when current laws are unclear? These questions remain unanswered, and the industry needs to work on expanding legal protections rather than simply embracing this innovation.
Music has always been rooted in human experiences and connection. But as AI becomes increasingly capable of mimicking human emotions, listeners are faced with the possibility of the loss of human-made music altogether, forcing us to question the authenticity of the art we consume. If technology can accurately imitate heartbreak or happiness, how long before audiences can’t tell raw human emotion from artificial imitation? The bond between artists and fans, the core of what music is, could suffer. AI isn’t just a threat to musicians and the music industry; it threatens all creative fields that rely on human expression, vulnerability, and connection.
Despite growing acceptance of AI, many artists are pushing back and calling for stricter rules to protect their creative rights. Elton John, Dua Lipa, and many others signed an open letter to the UK government urging them to rethink copyright reform plans that would give AI companies access to protected content. Their resistance reflects a widespread concern across the industry: that technological advancements could threaten ownership of creative work.
This pushback extends beyond musicians to the people who make the industry what it is: the fans. Generation Z in particular has been vocal about the environmental impact of AI systems and the potential loss of authenticity in AI-generated art. Fans connect with artists through relatability, authentic storytelling, and shared identity; qualities deeply rooted in lived human experience. As artificial intelligence continues to influence how music is created, marketed, and consumed, fans are left to decide what they truly value. The future of music will be shaped not only by technological advances but by what audiences choose to support. If listeners continue to prioritize human creativity, connection, and emotional resonance, music can evolve without losing the very qualities that make it feel alive.
