The old cat waited along the top of the fence. He, or maybe she, had light blue, squinting eyes. Tufts of white fur stuck out on his belly and neck, while the rest of his coat was black. He was waiting.
The family he visited in Salinas, Puerto Rico had been feeding him for about a year, although they hadn't thought he was going to make it that long.
As the feline stooped his head to nibble, his wound was unmistakeable. Almost half of the skin and fur on his neck had been ripped off, exposing a reddish pink gash. Spots of black hung off the edge and within the neck.
He was impervious to gawkers. He came for the food and when he was done, he left.
The heads of the house weren't sure if they should continue feeding him or stop so he could be put out of his misery.
Stray animals in Salinas and throughout the island have been a problem for years. While a few nonprofit organizations were founded to address this epidemic, it persists. There are an estimated 200,000 stray dogs, called satos, in Puerto Rico. That's roughly 57 stray dogs per square mile on the island.
When driving along local streets, you can see various satos on the sides, fending for their lives. It's heartbreaking.
While there are (five) municipal shelters on the island, euthanasia rates are remarkably high - some estimates are between 97-99%. Oftentimes, the dogs are picked up and then almost immediately done away with.
Organizations like The Sato Project actually rescue, neuter or spay, and vaccinate dogs to send them to the US, where they are more likely to find a home. There is not really a culture of pet adoption. "Currently the adoption rate in Puerto Rico is very low. ‘Satos’ are not revered on the island," answered the organization on their website.
The government does not have a formal, organized response to this dilemma. Animal abuse and abandonment is often ignored. No one wants these pets so sometimes people go out of their way to kill or leave them. Dead Dog Beach, a popular place to abandon dogs at Playa Lucia, is overrun with abused, abandoned, flee-ridden, possibly infected dogs.
Even as I wrote this article, a skinny gray cat sat along the fence, relaxing and waiting for a meal. He's another one who benefits from the kindness of this family in Salinas. As he ate, we could see the scars along his face. What had he been through? Where would he get his next meal? Would he survive the night?
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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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