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Straits Times
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Viewpoint: What happens when you use AI to make a National Day song?
ST music correspondent Eddino Abdul Hadi tried to come up with a National Day song using generative AI. The result was lifeless and dull. SINGAPORE – As someone who has been playing the guitar for many years and has had experience writing, recording and releasing music before the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), I have mixed feelings about using the technology to come up with songs. I understand it can be a tool to discover new sonic possibilities, but I am also wary of its potential to devalue, and even replace, human labour. So, when the assignment from my editors – to come up with a National Day song using AI – fell into my lap, I approached it with both curiosity and dread. After reading up on the various platforms that allow users, regardless of music experience or expertise, to come up with music using generative AI, I decided on Suno. Based on reviews and feedback, it seems to be among the more intuitive ones that let users come up with songs quickly. A few minutes later, a complete song with lyrics, a human-like singing voice and instrumentation such as drums, guitars, strings and synthesizers was born. All I had to do was type in a few text prompts – which in this case was essentially something based on recent National Day Parade anthems such as Not Alone (2024) and Shine Your Light (2023). But I cannot take credit for, or feel any sense of ownership over, this tune, no more than I can call myself a chef after I microwave a frozen meal bought from 7-11. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore MHA to support HSA's crackdown on Kpod abusers and help in treatment of offenders: Shanmugam Business S'pore's economic resilience will face headwinds in second half of 2025 from tariffs, trade conflicts: MAS Business S'pore's Q2 total employment rises, but infocomm and professional services sectors see more job cuts Singapore Fewer than 1 in 5 people noticed suspicious items during MHA's social experiments Asia Powerful 8.8-magnitude quake in Russia's far east causes tsunami; Japan, Hawaii order evacuations Singapore Migrant workers who gave kickbacks to renew work passes were conservancy workers at AMK Town Council Asia 'Hashing things out': Japan, Vietnam, EU contest terms of US tariff deals behind the scenes Singapore Escape, discover, connect: Where new memories are made Titled Together, We Shine, it might pass as background or elevator music, but is way too generic and bland for anyone to ever take seriously as an anthem fit for the nation's 60th birthday. The lyrics are cliched, rife with monosyllabic rhymes ('way' with 'grey', 'tall' with 'all') and cobbled together using previous official NDP favourite ('We build with dreams, we build with care, our voices echo everywhere'). The male singing voice has, for some reason, a vague American accent, and the audio sounds so compressed and over-polished that it comes across lifeless and flat. You can listen to it here ( ) and judge for yourself. AI-made music has been in the news lately, mostly thanks to the whirlwind Spotify success of AI-generated indie rock band The Velvet Sundown . The concerning thing is, for the first month of its existence, the 'band' insisted they were real humans, despite many speculating they were an AI creation. While photos of the four members were clearly produced with gen-AI, The Velvet Sundown – whose music and image borrow heavily from retro 1970s rock – had a pretty convincing backstory on their profile. Their music was also automatically pushed to users' playlists by Spotify's algorithm – one of the reasons they got so big so quickly, while human music-makers struggle to get streams. It was only about a month after the quartet's June debut that they were revealed to be an 'art hoax'. But, like with most other tech, AI is just a tool, and not inherently bad. While platforms like Suno and Udio offer idiot-proof ways to generate immediate songs – the way I did with mine – there are many other ways that AI is being used to enhance human creativity in music. For example, Singapore-based online music-making platform BandLab has AI features designed to help and supplement human creativity, instead of replacing it. In an online workshop with the company's head of artist development and education Kevin Breuner, a musician and songwriter himself, I learnt how users can use its AI tools to help suggest ideas, enhance audio recordings and convert a human voice into an instrument. The bulk of the work in song creation ultimately falls on the artiste using the platform, so there is still a lot of emphasis on human ingenuity. Right now, there are a few tell-tale signs that a piece of music is written by software. In the case of The Velvet Sundown, the lead singer's voice inexplicably changes from song to song. But at the rate the technology is advancing, it will not be long before AI-generated music will sound so authentic that even the most seasoned music experts will not be able to tell it is artificial. And that is when music lovers, or anyone who consumes music in any form, has to decide if they value human artistry and inventiveness enough to always choose a work crafted by a real person over one churned out via binary code.
Spectator
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Spectator
I'm writing a novel without using AI – and I can prove it
Everyone's seen stories about the creep of AI into art of all kinds. Recently the people behind the music-fabrication website Suno have been making outrageous statements to the effect that people don't enjoy learning musical instruments and writing their own songs, so why not let AI do it for them? This is very new, very disturbing and very consequential. I could talk about graphic art and video and film-making, but you'll know what's been going on there. I'll just cut to the chase and get to how AI tools are impacting and will continue to impact the writing of fiction. I anticipate a future in which human authorship will need to be proven. A few years ago I simply wouldn't have believed that this landscape could be possible. In 2017, a team called Botnik fed the seven Harry Potter novels through their predictive text keyboard, resulting in a chapter from a new Harry Potter story: Harry Potter and the Portrait of What Looked Like a Large Pile of Ash. With some human selection what emerged were extracts such as: ''If you two can't clump happily, I'm going to get aggressive,' confessed the reasonable Hermione.' 'To Harry, Ron was a loud, slow, and soft bird.' Things have come on since then. Now, if you ask ChatGPT or any of the other engines to write about the moon landings in the style of Finnegans Wake, which I have done, it will produce something pretty plausible, possibly not better than you could have done yourself given an hour or two, but rather compensated for by the fact that it took two seconds. As a result, novelists are already writing novels with AI. Are they as good as human novels? No, not yet. It's a process, probably, of gradual supplantation. First the writer uses AI to brainstorm ideas, then gets the AI to write a scene based on the most promising idea, then gets AI to supply a whole chapter, then the whole of the book. Gradually human oversight is reduced and then eliminated. In 2024 the winner of Japan's most prestigious literary award, the Akutagawa prize, admitted that she had written her novel with the help of artificial intelligence, though this confession was made after she received the prize money. She was praised for her honesty. Perhaps the majority of serious current novelists are experimenting with it, because it is just too tempting. I would guess that in future most novels will be written with AI help, because authors have deadlines, they are weak, and they fear the blank screen. There are people out there saying: never fear, AI writing is just autocomplete on steroids, it will never have emotions, it will never write creatively, it will never be original and it will never truly engage a human reader. I used to say things like that. Now I don't. AI probably can't think and probably isn't conscious – although Geoffrey Hinton, who helped make it, argues that it can and is – but that doesn't matter. All it needs to do is convincingly mimic thought and consciousness, as well as mimicking creativity and originality. After all, who's more likely to be original, a human or a machine that has access to every book every written? Is there anything new under the sun? If there is, won't an infinitely resourced machine be able to shine its own light on it? That's when human novelists will be completely, irrevocably superseded. The terrifying thing is it doesn't matter if AI machine novelists are not very good, or even if they never get as good as a human writer, since for a majority of people they will be good enough. They will out-compete, and out-autocomplete, human writers, just as AI bands are mimicking human bands with enough success to suck revenue away from human musicians on Spotify. Writers' livelihoods are at stake because consumers won't care enough. Except… what if there is a market for novels if they are demonstrably written by humans? What if there is, in ten years' time, a market for an artisan novel, quaintly written on the premise that no machine had a hand or a robotic arm in its creation? How, though, could this be proven? It's possible at the moment to detect AI text, but only if the writer has been careless, and the tools to do so are clunky and sometimes inaccurate. After generating the text, the writer can 'humanise' it, either by hand, or by employing a humanising program. So I'm proposing something. I want to write one of the world's first provably, demonstrably non-AI-assisted novels. And this is how I'm going to do it. In fact, this is how I have already started doing it. During every writing session I livestream my desktop and have an additional camera on my workspace and keyboard. I have a main novel file, some character files, a plot file and a scrap file. I may also have other files. All these files are in one folder and accessible to pull out. This bringing up of files from the main folder is viewable on screen. There is no access to the internet, and certainly nothing AI-generated. At the end of each writing session in Google Docs, I save a named version. At the next writing session I open Google Docs and identify that last version at the top of the list, date- and time-stamped as it is, demonstrating that it is the last version I worked on and hasn't been altered. Then I go back to Google Docs and start working, live-streaming and recording. At the end of the session I save the version so I can return to it. This protocol I call Maximal Human Authorship Protocol or MaxHAP. It, or something like it, is going to be required in future, because if we don't have it, no one will ever be able to say again, and be believed: 'I'm a writer.' Does that matter? It matters to me, because I've been writing for a long time, and writing is among the things I value most in the world. I want to protect the notion of a verifiably human author, of the dignity of that author. In future, the writer will have only a little dignity. Let's not make it none.
Express Tribune
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Velvet Sundown finally confesses to being AI
An indie rock band with more than a million monthly listeners on Spotify has owned up to being an AI-generated music project following days of speculation about whether the group was real, reported AFP. Named Velvet Sundown — seemingly a nod to Lou Reed's band The Velvet Underground — the digital group has become a viral hit, generating ferocious online discussion after racking up hundreds of thousands of listens. An updated Spotify profile, consulted on Tuesday by AFP, admitted that the group was an "ongoing artistic provocation". "All characters, stories, music, voices and lyrics are original creations generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools employed as creative instruments," Velvet Sundown's profile added. Recently created social media profiles, featuring photos of the group that look suspiciously fake, have teased readers about the group's origins, offering often contradictory information. As per the Guardian, the episode has triggered a debate about authenticity, with music industry insiders saying streaming sites should be legally obliged to tag music created by AI-generated acts so consumers can make informed decisions about what they are listening to. A major study in December by the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), which represents more than five million creators worldwide, also warned about the danger of AI-generated music. It forecast that artists could see their incomes shrink by more than 20 per cent in the next four years as the market for AI-composed music grows. Stockholm-based streamer Spotify declined to comment directly about Velvet Sundown when contacted by AFP. Spokeswoman Geraldine Igou wrote that the platform does not "prioritise or benefit financially from music created using AI tools". "All tracks are created, owned, and uploaded by licensed third parties," Igou insisted. Rival music streaming service Deezer displayed a warning for "AI-generated content" for Velvet Sundown. "Some tracks on this album may have been created using artificial intelligence," it said. The Spotify rival has an AI-music detection tool that is able to identify songs generated using popular software models such as Suno and Udio. Deezer said in April that it was receiving more than 20,000 fully AI-generated tracks on a daily basis, comprising 18 per cent of all uploaded content, an increase from the previously reported 10 per cent in January. Reports on Tuesday said an imposter posing as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been using AI-generated voice and text messages to high-level officials and foreign ministers.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Would you ever swap human artists for AI in your playlist
Psychedelic rock band The Velvet Sundown has over a million monthly listeners on Spotify and earns thousands of dollars every month. However, the catch is that it's not a traditional band at all. It's mostly made by artificial intelligence. Their Spotify bio confirms that the group is a synthetic music project, guided by human creative direction but composed, voiced, and visualized using AI. This is a sign of where music may be headed. This revelation has sparked heated debate within the music industry. Some people see it as an exciting new frontier for creativity. Others see it as a threat to everything music has traditionally stood for: originality, emotion, and human expression. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my Platforms like Suno and Udio now allow users to generate original songs with just a few prompts. These tools handle everything, vocals, instruments, structure, with startling sophistication. The Velvet Sundown reportedly earned more than $34,000 in a single month from streaming platforms. And it's not alone. Other acts, such as Aventhis, a "dark country" musician with over 600,000 monthly listeners, are also believed to be powered by AI-generated content. This isn't happening in a studio with a team of producers. It's often just one person inputting text and outputting tracks. The barrier to entry is nearly gone. With a laptop and internet connection, anyone can create and distribute AI-generated songs on a massive scale. Major record labels are pushing back. Universal Music Group, Sony Music, and Warner Records have filed lawsuits against AI music platforms, accusing them of using copyrighted material without permission during the training process. At the same time, music creators and advocacy groups are demanding regulation. They want AI-generated tracks to be clearly labeled. They're also calling for updated copyright protections to prevent the misuse of human-created work during AI training. Streaming platforms are starting to acknowledge the issue. Deezer revealed that nearly one in five new uploads are entirely AI-generated. This trend is growing and reshaping the very idea of what it means to be a musician today. For emerging musicians, the rise of AI is deeply frustrating. Tilly Louise, an alternative pop artist based in the UK, has amassed millions of streams but still works a full-time job because her music doesn't generate enough income. Watching an AI-generated band pull in massive streaming numbers feels like being pushed aside by something that isn't even real. She's not alone in this sentiment. Many artists feel overwhelmed by an industry that increasingly rewards volume and virality over authenticity and hard work. Some critics warn that AI-generated art dilutes genuine human expression, believing it floods the internet with hollow content, making it harder for listeners to form a genuine connection through music. Not everyone sees AI as the enemy. Grammy-winning producer Timbaland recently launched a venture called Stage Zero, which plans to spotlight AI-generated pop stars. Music schools are also adapting. Educators are now teaching students how to utilize AI tools to enhance their creative process, rather than avoiding them. Still, even those who are optimistic about the technology admit that it could completely upend the music business. As AI-generated content becomes increasingly easy to produce, the competition for listener attention and streaming dollars will intensify. Nobody knows exactly what the future will look like, but the direction is clear: AI is no longer on the fringes. It's already in the mainstream. AI is no longer just supporting music creation; it is actively creating music that listeners are streaming and enjoying. Whether it's rock, country, or pop, AI-generated songs are showing up in more playlists every day. The real question is not whether AI music is good enough. It's whether listeners will care that it wasn't made by a human. As technology improves and the lines between human and machine blur, that question will only get harder to answer. Does it matter who made the music, as long as it sounds good? Let us know by writing us at Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts, and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide - free when you join my Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
NDTV
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Saiyaara Mania: Fan Attends Screening With IV Drip, Internet Asks " Itni Dedication?"
Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda 's debut film, Saiyaara, is getting a lot of love from moviegoers. And, the buzz is real. One video going crazy viral on Instagram shows how far fans are going. In the clip, a man is seen watching Saiyaara in a theatre with an IV drip still attached to his hand. Yes, he didn't want to miss the film, even while receiving treatment. He is also seen wiping away tears. Now that is some serious dedication. Take a look at the video below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Iamfaisal (@iamfaisal04) Needless to say, the comments section of the post was flooded with reactions. A user wrote, 'I tni dedication? Movie ke liye hospital se uthkar chle gye? [This much dedication? Got up from the hospital just to watch a movie?]' Another added, ' Are bhai pahle ilaaj to kar le. [Bro, get your treatment done first.]' A person wrote, ' Mujhe hasi aa rahi hai. [This is making me laugh.]' An Instagrammer posted, ' Kamal Kar Diya bhai. [You have done something amazing, bro.]' Many people even claimed that it was a 'fake move.' Directed by Mohit Suri and produced by Yash Raj Films, Saiyaara explores love, loss, and heartbreak with an emotional touch. The film marks the debut of Ahaan Panday, who plays Krish Kapoor, a struggling musician trying to find his place in the world. Aneet Padda is seen as Vaani Batra, a young writer coming to terms with early-onset Alzheimer's. In an NDTV review, Radhika Sharma gave Saiyaara 3 out of 5 stars. She wrote, ' Saiyaara 's dialogue ' Kuch pal baaqi hain mere paas' callback has the ring of Aashiqui 2 's ' Suno. Kya? Kuch nahin bas yun hee' to it, and there's a strong possibility that it will become viral on social media, especially with the 20-somethings.' Click here to read the full review.
