One of my earliest memories in life involves a garage-housed beading business that I started when I was 10. I cleared my roller skates off of a shelf in my garage and laid out a number of bracelets that I had created with a beading set my mom bought me. I woke up on opening day, got dressed, and at 8:00 a.m. when mom's car was finally out of the middle of my showroom, I opened the garage door. Merchandise was priced to sell but I, unfortunately, had no customers. It lasted two days but it was my first entrepreneurial pursuit and I never lost that spirit.
I was a headstrong, independent, ambitious, and tenacious child. I would put my mind to something and do it, no questions asked. I even managed to get "Baby Bop" in my preschool yearbook because I told the photographer I wouldn't allow my photo to be taken without her. And while my parents could have very well chosen to be more strict with me or even punished me for much of the wild behavior I exhibited as a kid, they didn't. They didn't get angry when the school called and told them I was found in the library picking gum off the tables and preparing them for "earthquakes," they didn't ground me when I threw my own birthday party and invited all of my friends over, and they didn't baby me in high school when I broke down every week because I was overly involved and had no time to sleep. They just let me do whatever I wanted.
See, my parents had it figured out. They gave me boundaries and ground rules and then they basically said "now go do something great." They let me open that garage business as a kid because they could see my wheels turning even at such a young age. As I got older, they never forced me to solely focus on academics, they never forced me to play sports or be involved in clubs, and they never made me limit myself, so I did it all. Because my parents allowed me to learn and grow at my own pace without limitations as a child, I am now able to do the same as an adult.
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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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