Hi "mom" and "dad,"
It's me, the human you created about 20 years ago. I'm doing well in case you were wondering. I'm about halfway through college now and really excited to start my career, but there's a few things that I wanted to get off my chest.
Well first off, thank you for putting me up for adoption, even if it was the hardest (or easiest) thing you've ever had to do. You gave me a life that you (probably) couldn't provide for me and a family that loves me like crazy. But I don't mean that in an insulting way, I'm sure if we were to be together that you would've done the best for me that you could.
I really don't know anything about you guys ... Were you married? Did you have any other kids before/after me? Were you rich? Poor? Why did you give me up? Were you young and in love? Was it a freak accident? Do I look more like "mom" or "dad"? Are you both still alive? All of these questions I'm just going to have to wonder and guess at, which leaves me creating my own picture of your story and your lives.
I picture you two as a loving married couple that either couldn't provide for me or the government restrictions took a hit. I wouldn't say that I was a freak accident but I would say that I was a surprise, even if me being a girl was the surprise. I bet you wished I was a boy... But that's beside the point. If I was a boy, I most likely wouldn't have met my incredible mom which I can comfortably say without the quotations. She's taught me that she didn't need to birth me or we don't have to have the same blood for her to be my mother.
If I were to meet you today, the only thing I would have to say is thank you and I hope that's enough for you. As much as I think it would be interesting to hear about your lives and the reason why you two put me up for adoption, it will never happen. The odds of me actually meeting you are almost zero and I'm perfectly okay with that.
It is a little uncomfortable to be at the doctors and them ask about my family medical history and I say I know nothing because I was adopted or when my friends talk about how they got a certain feature from their mom or dad and I'm left with a blank look on my face because I have no clue what you two look like. But that's part of my story and the only thing I can do is embrace it.
So again, all I have to say is thank you. Because I am more than happy to live the life I live with the mom, family, friends, and everything else that wouldn't be possible without being put up for adoption.
Your long lost strands of DNA,
Tara
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
