One year ago, I embarked on the greatest journey of my life thus far: my study abroad trip to London, England. Not only did this experience fulfill an academic purpose, but it also allowed me to achieve my goal of crossing the pond to visit London. What I had yet to realize was that this experience would gift me so much more than class credits and another check off of my long bucket list.
My study abroad program was short-term, lasting only three weeks. Although it’s the norm for students to spend a semester abroad, this brief period of time did not diminish the impact that this experience had on my life. If anything, it taught me that the quantity of time isn’t what matters in life—it’s who you spend it with and what you do with it.
Academically, my study abroad experience challenged me to think more critically and opened my mind to the thoughts and opinions of my classmates during our discussions and field trips revolving around media tourism. Personally, I was able to accomplish my dream of traveling to London and studying abroad all in one trip.
However, I’ve come to realize that the friendships I built and the memories that I made are the greatest outcomes from my study abroad experience. I’m sure anyone who has studied abroad can attest to this.
My short-term abroad class focused on media tourism and pilgrimage, so a key component of this class was to spend time outside of our makeshift classroom in the basement of a dorm building at the University of London and explore the city in a hands-on manner to reinforce our discussions. It was through this exploration that I bonded with my classmates, building relationships that I’m sure will last a lifetime.
My four other classmates and I spent three weeks together, fully embracing everything England had to offer. We learned to navigate (and eventually master) the Tube. We made daily decisions regarding what to eat for dinner – whether we would go out to eat or order a pizza to the dorm. We explored the English countryside through day trips by bus to Windsor Castle and Bath. We indulged in the West End theatre scene. We shopped at London-centric stores like Harrods and Foyles. We left London with too many “inside jokes” to count. We spent several nights sitting in one of our dorm rooms, laughing, talking, eating too much Cadbury chocolate, and bonding over this unique, unforgettable study abroad experience.
I am thankful for every aspect of my study abroad experience—the class, my intelligent professor, the location, and the memories. But I am most thankful for the friendships this experience brought to me. Not a day has gone by since my plane took off from Heathrow airport that I haven’t spoken to at least one of my classmates, and I am forever grateful for the bond and memories we share thanks to our study abroad trip.
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
