Motivation is the fuel to individual human success. For some people what gives them motivation is a hope for a better future, a possible job with a big paycheck, or a nice big dream house. What gives me motivation are all the struggles and failure of my past. Very little of what I have achieved thus far in life was easy, but this has made me more resilient. I feel motivation every time I am reminded of a past struggle. My driver's license gives me motivation because I failed on my first attempt and had to wait three long months filled with a lot of practice driving to retake it, but I still passed and now can parallel park like any large SUV or truck. Every time I type I feel motivation because learning to read and right was such a struggle that as a child I never thought I would be able to compose any kind of writing that was interesting or legible, but I still went on to have my work published in several newspapers. The object that gives me the most motivation is rather new to me and currently hanging on my wall; this being my college diploma. I never in my life thought I would have one. Having grown up with learning disabilities and the thought of college being daunting, 18 year old me never expected to make it past the fist week of class. In fact I was so doubtful in myself that I tried desperately to obtain a plan B, that being a real-estate degree as a fall back for when I thought I would fail out of school. However, I never failed out; instead and ironically I never did pass that state real-estate exam, but I think it was because, in my heart, I did not want to or need to. College was a terrific time in my life and I did have help with school work and studying, but even still classes wee never easy and there were moments when I quite literally did pull my hair out due to frustration. I had a lot of sleepless nights filled with studying and typing papers and just barely passed some classes. However my goal was to obtain a degree in four years despite being learning disabled and I did just that. Now that I’m 22 and in “the real world,” I'm still honestly very conflicted about what it is I am meant to do or be in life, as a lot of 22 year olds are. I can look at my diploma because it serves as constant reminder that what is meant to happen for me will happen and because it gives me the motivation to know that I hold the power to overcome any struggle and make any achievement possible for myself.
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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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