College students across the nation dread this time of year more than any other. Finals week. The one week each semester where every student takes countless comprehensive tests assessing the knowledge they have attained and the skills they have mastered. Despite the challenges that finals week presents, it also grants us wisdom and lessons that may otherwise not be obtained.
1. Life is short.
There is nothing worse than looking at your planner just before bed and realizing you have a test at 8am. Here comes an all nighter. You grab your closest friends, go to the library, drink coffee for hours, and attempt to memorize a semester's worth of material in 6 hours. However, what typically happens is you and your friends laugh the night away, eat way too much food, and enjoy the precious moments that you have left together before the semester ends. You may not ace the final, but life is way too short to not enjoy the small things. Enjoy the time. Enjoy your friends, and enjoy the life you have been given.
2. Some things aren't worth stressing about.
When the fate of your grade and sometimes your GPA relies on the results from one test, it is difficult to focus on anything else. But as young adults we have so many things to focus on and so many things to stress about. Financial aide, the boy in your science class, the girl in your sociology class, parents, car trouble, rent... The list goes on. But stressing over these simple entities does nothing but take a toll on your body. Stress may motivate us some, but simply stressing gets us nowhere. We must take action. We must pick up the book and study. We must put in effort to make relationships work. We must make money to pay the bills. So don't stress the little things. Take each task one step at a time. You have got this, even if it takes some work.
3. You are worth more.
From kindergarten until we graduate high school we are asked, "What kind of grades do you have? Are you an 'A' student? What is your GPA?" And in college, those questions take on a whole new meaning. So much time, effort, and money is put into obtaining a college education that it is difficult not to care about the grades. It is difficult to accept an 'F' on a test or a 'C' for the semester. But at the end of the day, those grades do not define you. That 'C' should show you that despite the challenges, you put up a good fight. That 'B' should show you that you committed to several activities, built your resume, and still had time to make good grades. And if you made an 'A', you deserve to sleep for a month. No matter the letter on your transcript, you are worth more. You are a college student representing a small fragment of the population. You are attaining goals that some people will never have the opportunity to do. You are amazing. So seize the day, and the time you have to show the world you are worth more.
Thank you finals. I owe you one.
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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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