Recently I’ve been faced with some deeply personal questions and life choices that have challenged my identity and made me honestly answer those questions.
I’ve realized that it can be effortless to portray yourself a certain way. As a journalism student at SMU, I learned quickly that you only tell people what you want them to know about you. Add that to the cultural obsession and reliance on social media for information, and there you have it—the ability to create the perfect false identity or disguise.
Our paths in life carry us through different circumstances and different relationships. As individuals, we are constantly changing and evolving. However, life can become precarious when we live with differing identities and fabricated truths of who we are.
There is no magical solution to who you are. There isn’t a specific formula that will automatically generate your unwavering identity. All you have is your heart; all you have is yourself. Only you can determine who you are and who you will be.
You aren’t governed by someone else’s interpretation of morality. You are simply you.
For some people, it may seem unnecessary and complicated to live a life that requires this type of contemplation. Yet your identity is a key ingredient to who you are, and it will determine how you treat others.
Ever wonder what someone’s identity is?
Watch their eyes when someone does something rude. Track their body language when someone is kind to them or when they are ignored. When it comes to identity, non-verbal communication conveys a person’s identity more accurately than any mixture of words.
Do you know what your identity is? Or do you just walk around behind this disguise that tries to conform to cultural norms and the expectations of others?
Don’t be afraid to be you. Embrace your bad side, laugh with your silly side, and be serious with the parent inside of you. But above all, be true and genuine to your heart and your identity. Those are the things that will carry you farther than any disguise or collaborative lies ever could.
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
