- Nap time is a must.
Then: Napping was a cornerstone of toddler life, whether grownup-mandated or voluntary. You were forced to take naps in kindergarten, to your resentment. You just put your head down and defiantly stayed awake. Then you would come home from school exhausted and take a nap on the couch.
Now: After discarding naps for years, you have reunited and realized your mistake. You now schedule them into your days because you can't live without them. Sometimes you don't know what to do so you just take a nap. Whether you’re tired or not, it’s always a good time for a nap. In college, you take them wherever and whenever you can get them: in the library, on the bus, on someone’s couch. Everywhere and anytime is fair game. #Naps5eva - You need your parents.
Then: You needed them for everything: food, clothes, transportation. There were very few things you could do without your parents. They were the center of your world. They taught you everything you needed to know.
Now: You still need them for everything: their advice on being a grownup (What even is a Roth IRA?), their love (Because sometimes you just need to feel it), a home for holidays and warm food (Wait, is that my favorite casserole?), and sometimes their money (Sorry, guys). - Juice makes you feel better.
Then: Juice Boxes- nothing as refreshing as unwinding with some Juicy Juice at the end of a long day on the playground or in class learning how to read.
Now: Wine Boxes- nothing as refreshing as cheap wine at the end of your shift at the mall or during finals week or literally any time because wine is the nectar of the gods, and it’s made from grapes so it’s pretty much a health food. - Your style is in an "experimental phase."
Then: The 90s were an... interesting time for fashion. I remember sporting Oshkosh B'gosh overalls, stirrup pants, scrunchies, parachute pants, and a ridiculous amount of frilly clothing. My parents were even brave enough to let me dress myself sometimes.
Now: Fashion is still tricky to master. Let's not pretend the clothes on mannequins at Forever 21 are any more ridiculous than what we wore in the 90s. And, in college, we try so hard to look cool, to mixed success. We'll definitely look back on pictures from our college days and say, "What were we thinking?!" - You cry... a lot.
Then: Really anything could trigger some waterworks. You are overwhelmed and trying to understand life while not being entirely in control of your emotions or anything around you. A tantrum is always just around the corner, waiting to make an appearance at the grocery store or any place that requires quiet.
Now: It can still be anything. Or everything. It can feel like your life is falling apart on the daily. You have little, if any, control over your emotions or your surroundings. You are overwhelmed. I once cried because the campus cafeteria was out of a meal I had been looking forward to all day. (Pro Tip: Find a good restroom stall on campus to cry in undisturbed, or wait until you can cry in the shower at home.) - You're suspicious of the opposite sex.
Then: You thought they had cooties and were generally wary of the opposite sex, but you didn't know why. You made sure to get vaccinated with the proper circle, circle, dot, dot cootie shot.
Now: You are still wary of the opposite sex, but now you have good reasons after decades of experience. And vaccines are still a good idea, no matter what Jenny McCarthy says. - You're obsessed with toys.
Then: You couldn't live without getting the newest Polly Pocket, GameBoy, or Furby. Toys were life.
Now: You can't live without your phone. Not that you’ve tried. But you also need the newest tablet, fitness tracker, Apple Watch, or gaming console. - You get angry when you're hungry (hangry).
Then: Snack Time. You couldn't live without it. Your day was scheduled around when you ate. Your parents packed you little treats in your bag in case you had a hunger meltdown. In kindergarten, there was even a designated time for snacking!
Now: Snack Time. You can't live without it. You constantly need food. You are always thinking about it. It doesn't help that, during college, there is always free food somewhere. Not to mention, there is always someone in class nomming on some sort of food that they got from who knows where. (Pro Tip: Always, always, always carry a snack with you.) - You get in trouble all the time.
Then: Doing whatever your parents told you not to do. This included but was not limited to: staying up past your bedtime, eating all your Halloween candy in one sitting, and roller skating around the house. You always got busted, but that rarely stopped you.
Now: Knowing you shouldn't do it, but doing it anyway. You're old enough to know better by now, probably, but that doesn't stop you. In theory, you know you shouldn't do a lot of things including but not limited to: drinking too much, neglecting your homework and bills, and other things that cannot be listed in writing in case they can be used against you in a court of law. - You love Disney movies.
Then: Classic Disney princess movies, "The Lion King," "Toy Story": The Golden Age of Disney! You listened to sing-along tapes and dressed up like your favorite character any chance you got.
Now: You're still into it. You know the words to the songs and see the movies in theaters/ watch them on your laptop over and over again. And you may or may not know all the words to "Let it Go." (Your secret is safe with me.) You still dress up like your favorite character to themed parties or during Halloween. - Then and now, you repeat this mantra to yourself when things get tough.
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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
StableDiffusion
The Illusion of Creativity
AI-generated music is often marketed as “artistic” or “educational.” But what does it really teach?
- That style can be replicated without understanding.
- That emotion can be simulated without feeling.
- That effort can be bypassed with a prompt.
For young creators, this sets a dangerous precedent. Why learn to play guitar when an algorithm can do it faster? Why study harmony when AI can generate chord progressions in seconds? The risk isn’t just laziness — it’s the loss of depth, discipline, and the tactile joy of creation.
I have listened to several AI-generated music covers. My initial reaction was one of considerable impressiveness, particularly regarding the reimagining of classic pop hits in diverse genres with novel arrangements. Here is one good example a-ha — Take On Me
However, after engaging with several such Ai generated song covers, a sense of emotional detachment emerged, attributable to the perceived absence of human artistry and genuine sentiment, resulting in a technically flawless yet ultimately soulless auditory experience.
Copyright in Crisis
What does the copyright law say about AI generated music, especially in field of music covers. Who is liable for copyright in this case, AI developers, people who used AI to generate music or people who published it on music platforms?
Recent lawsuits show that the music industry is pushing back hard:
- Universal, Sony, and Warner sued AI music platforms Suno and Udio in 2024 for allegedly training their models on copyrighted songs without permission Ars Technica The Lyon Firm.
- They’re seeking up to $150,000 per infringed song, arguing that the AI outputs resemble famous tracks and voices (e.g., Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson).
- These lawsuits target the developers of the AI tools — but they raise broader questions:The legal gray area is training data. Courts haven’t yet ruled definitively on whether using copyrighted songs to train AI counts as infringement or fair use Sites at USC.
But who’s liable?
Role | Legal Risk | Why |
AI Developers | ✅ High | For training on copyrighted material without licenses. |
Users | ⚠️ Moderate | If they intentionally recreate protected works. |
Publishers/Platforms | ✅ High | For distributing infringing content. |
The grey area lies in training data. Courts haven’t yet ruled definitively on whether using copyrighted songs to train AI counts as infringement or fair use. Meanwhile, AI-generated works themselves aren’t eligible for copyright unless a human provides substantial creative input — leaving them in legal limbo.
The Educational Mirage
Some argue that AI music helps people learn genres, production styles, or vocal techniques. But this “education” often lacks context. It’s like learning to paint by watching a printer — technically impressive, but creatively hollow.
True musical education involves:
- Struggle and iteration: Learning through mistakes.
- Emotional connection: Expressing what words can’t.
- Cultural lineage: Understanding the roots of sound.
AI shortcuts bypass all of this. And in doing so, they risk flattening the rich terrain of human creativity into a sterile landscape of algorithmic mimicry.
Why This Fight Matters
This isn’t just about music. It’s about the future of art, storytelling, and human expression. If we allow machines to dominate creative spaces, we risk turning culture into content — optimized, monetized, and devoid of soul.
We must ask: Do we want a world where art is made by machines, or one where machines help humans make better art?
5 Key Takeaways
- AI-generated music blurs the line between innovation and erosion in the creative arts
- AI-generated music raises questions about copyright, culture, education, and artistic expression
- AI-generated music can replicate style without understanding, simulate emotion without feeling, and bypass effort with a prompt
- AI-generated music sets a dangerous precedent for young creators by potentially leading to a loss of depth, discipline, and joy of creation
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