Musicians-turned-detectives are hunting for AI grifters
As audio-focused generative tools and platforms have gotten more sophisticated, the internet has become increasingly filled with AI-generated music whose melodies and vocals are algorithmically derived from the work of human artists. While some of the people pumping out this kind of content immediately own up to using AI, others have denied using the technology until increasing public scrutiny forced them to tell the truth.
Why It Matters
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Key Facts
- Fact 1: There are some though, like 26-year-old EDM producer Max “H4RRIS” Harris, who are taking a stand against generative technology with videos calling out anyone they believe is trying to pass off AI slop as human-made art.
- Fact 2: He always begins with a core concept before he starts “throwing more ideas down until I find something that sticks.” And as complicated as his workflow might look to someone unfamiliar with all of the tools and programs that he uses — his production setup includes Ableton Live, Novation Launchkey 49 MIDI controller, Ableton Push 3, Launchpad X, a couple of analog synthesizers, Serum, Diva, and the software sampler Kontakt — he said that the entire process is “really just me making creative decisions” that culminates in a sound that feels right.
- Fact 3: Suno also came up multiple times during my conversation with 39-year-old Italian turntabilist-turned-producer Nihil Young.
As audio-focused generative tools and platforms have gotten more sophisticated, the internet has become increasingly filled with AI-generated music whose melodies and vocals are algorithmically derived from the work of human artists. While some of the people pumping out this kind of content immediately own up to using AI, others have denied using the technology until increasing public scrutiny forced them to tell the truth.
For musicians — especially those creating art in technologically-focused spaces like electronic dance music — the increasingly complicated question of what is “real” and what isn’t feels particularly urgent and personal. Professional courtesy can make this only more complex; listeners can call out performers they suspect of using gen AI, but it’s something else for artists to raise concerns about their professional peers. There are some though, like 26-year-old EDM producer Max “H4RRIS” Harris, who are taking a stand against generative technology with videos calling out anyone they believe is trying to pass off AI slop as human-made art.
(Original synthesis pending human/AI review — generated by the stub provider by selecting real sentences from the source material, not by writing new analysis or commentary.)
