Thursday 09 February, 2023

9 Questions to A.I about the future of Musicians in the Music Industry


“When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hang-ups.” — John Coltrane (1926–1967) Humans have consciousness, art is from that space. It matters little what an AI system tells you about what position they see musicians occupying in the […]


“When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hang-ups.” — John Coltrane (1926–1967)

Humans have consciousness, art is from that space. It matters little what an AI system tells you about what position they see musicians occupying in the future, consciousness is a space they are yet to master, pull from and create. AI cannot occupy the arts space fully because human creativity is unquantifiable.
Organisations are already calling out for creative thinking, out the box thinking. Elements of neurodivergence.
The creative arts on the creative side is heavily neuro divergent and creative industries have always welcomed neurodivergence.
Logic thinking roles are needed less into the future, we have robots/computers/AI now that will do this so much better. Logic based professions are the spaces AI will occupy more in full, though we are a way off yet.

The arts and artists should thrive in this time because creative people are positioned outside the 'normal' realms of thinking. Now they have a new tool to use in AI, to push creativity. Creative people are already being called upon to do things differently in the traditional workforce and that will continue to happen. 

Formulaic mainstream popular music is very easy to generate through AI, the big production houses and record companies have been following formula for years. We have grown up and lived through an era of much manufactured music.
It would be interesting to see AI attempt the difficult productions, the off-piste music. Music to inspire and create the spine tingle effect.  Create new genres of music even.
There is little evidence that a logic based machine will be able to do that on the cutting edge side of the industry, without human guidance perhaps. Until machines develop human consciousness, which again is impossible because where creativity comes from you cannot program, there will always be a difference between human generated art and AI art. 

What is interesting and new is the way a logic based 'brain' can study and reproduce art in mass quantity with variation and the AI interpretation of that. This chat is correct, machine generated art will fill the spots occupied by logic based musicians/producers think; Stock Aitken and Waterman, Syco, Swedish production houses of the 90s/2000s, even the lesser musical Motown catalogue.
John Coltrane, Charlie Parker and all the countless off-piste musicality music will be difficult for a processor to reproduce. AI's attempt at this and subsequent explanation of the result should be off the mark, if this theory on the future is correct.

The creative industry should use the information given in the chat to better their skill or 'upskill' with AI and ensure their place in the future, by using tools AI provides to continue to make great music from that unquantifiable space. The music AI cannot do. Humans should avoid having thoughts to compete with A.I, even if much discussion and this chat is alluding to that. Using AI tools to enhance the music we produce, will require working with it, studying it and yes re-training/upskilling.

AI could push human produced music to new levels and the inspiration for those interested in producing music with substance, can only get better. That is a potential re-focus for the musician.
At this point AI is nothing to fear. The way musicality musicians or consciously created art will make money will change as the landscape changes. New ways will emerge. Perhaps musicians can begin rebranding and putting a premium on that musicality as the landscape changes. The same way tailormade or handmade has a premium. AI is a tool to use and continue to create great art. Humans thinking AI is and will be better than us at everything is so problematic and creates a tsunami of doomsday eventualities. Great musicians needn't worry about continuing their passion because they just received a gift, the creme de la creme space in the music world cornered. 

It's about reacting to what happens and finding your space as a musical/artist. Not competing with AI.
Mainstream will always be what it is. Instead of record companies, you tube, Spotify and all picking our top sold music, AI will be. Yes, any music predictable by logic, can be copied, replicated and possibly bettered by AI. 

You tube, Spotify, Amazon music, I tunes, mix cloud and their AI playlists have not replaced DJs, but perhaps have replaced some DJ spaces, mostly at private parties for people with a lack of understanding that the art of DJing is more than selecting a few records. These platforms made it easier for the mainstream to access continuous playlists. Though Djing will always be interactive with an audience. Until AI begins to read people...though those that are doing things differently, will always have a space.

It's scary for some though an exciting time also because everything is unknown, the landscape is changing again just like it did when Napster came along and changed the way music was sold. Since the late 60s there have never been so many changes in society and the way we do things.
Creativity is now more than ever about being an original. For the first time, the originals and original ideas will have premium spaces. The future is still bright, it's just changing.

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