Being a UCR student means you don’t effing anytime at all to be home. I live in NorCal, which I spent almost all of Wednesday driving back up, spend Thanksgiving, Friday and Saturday with the fam, and left Sunday morning. Not a lot of time at home at all. Some people reason that it’s not worth it, to only be home for 5 days, more like 3 days really. Honestly, it kinda is. I could’ve easily stayed home and worked through the break, make a little extra money. I wouldn’t do that though. Thanksgiving means too much to me. Thanksgiving is a time for family, drinking, conquering and defeat. My fam goes all out for Thanksgiving dinner. My cousin Steven handles the turkey and all the potatoes. He makes the turkey with his special recipe to make that turkey skin extra crispy and stuffs the cavity with oven-roasted lemons and oranges to impart a nice citrus flavor. His mashed potatoes are perfect. Nice and silky, no lumps, delicious garlic and green onions to elevate the flavor. He also makes a baked potato casserole. Imagine a baked potato. Now take that just mash it together into a casserole dish. My cousin Ryan is in charge of making the green bean casserole, stuffing, his vegetable Bolognese, and this year he even made his mac n cheese recipe. Often times when I eat other peoples’ stuffing, it’s hella mushy and not very impressive. Ryan likes to sauté his vegetables but keeps them crunchy. He also makes sure his stuffing is nice and crunchy and crisp. Not quite sure how he does it but his stuffing is bomb. Steven’s girlfriend Emily takes care of the salad, which doesn’t sound like much but her dressing from scratch is sooo effing bomb so can’t really hate, baked mac n cheese, also very tasty, and this year, butternut squash soup. My contribution is pumpkin pie or cheesecake, and sweet potato casserole, which is basically an evolution of candied yams. After all the foods done and ready, its time to conquer. Piling your plate high and utterly massacring it, but then feeling defeated an hour later can be the best moment of the night. I personally like the post-meal more. Everyone is full and chillin, sipping on wine, cider, beer, or this year, pomegranate honey mead. It’s very relaxing and peaceful, playing beer pong with my cousins and our friends. Thanksgiving means to much to me to not go home.
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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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