Pop Singer the Artist's Record Company Takes Stand Regarding Viral 'Artificial Intelligence Clone' Track

The music company representing Brit Award-winning singer Jorja Smith has declared its intention to receive a share of royalties from a song it claims was produced using an artificial intelligence "clone" of the singer's unique vocal style.

The song, titled 'I Run' by UK dance act Haven, gained widespread traction on TikTok last October, in part due to its polished R&B vocals by an unnamed female vocalist.

Although its success and impending chart position in the UK and US, the track was subsequently removed by major music services after industry bodies sent takedown notices, alleging it breached copyright by impersonating another artist.

Even though 'I Run' has since been reissued with completely new vocals, Smith's label, FAMM, insists it believes the initial recording was generated with AI trained on her extensive recordings and is now seeking appropriate compensation.

A Larger Issue at Stake

"This is not only about one artist. It's bigger than a single performer or one song," the label stated in a recent statement.

FAMM further stated its belief that "both iterations of the track violate Jorja's legal rights and unjustly take advantage of the creative output of all the songwriters with whom she collaborates."

Famous for songs like 'Be Honest' and 'Little Things', Smith was named Best British Female at the prestigious Brit Awards in 2019.

Suggesting that her supporters were potentially misled by Haven's original release, the label added: "Our industry cannot allow this to be the new normal."

Producers Acknowledge Using AI Technology

The duo behind the song have publicly confirmed utilizing AI during its creation.

Producer Harrison Walker explained that the initial vocals were in fact his own but were heavily manipulated using AI music software Suno, sometimes referred to as the "ChatGPT for music".

In addition, the other member, Waypoint, whose real name is Jacob Donaghue, confirmed on his accounts that AI was used to "give our original vocal a feminine tone".

Donaghue and Walker assert that they composed and produced the song themselves and have even shared files of their source production sessions.

"It shouldn't be mystery that I used AI-powered vocal processing to transform exclusively my voice for 'I Run'," Walker elaborated.

"Being a songwriter and maker, I enjoy using new tools, methods and staying on the cutting edge of what's happening," he added.

"In order to set the record straight, the artists behind HAVEN are real and people, and all we aim to do is make enjoyable music for other humans."

Legal Uncertainty and Broader Impact

Although their original release of 'I Run' was suspended from official charts, the new recording managed to enter the UK Top 40 last week.

FAMM has framed the incident as a critical precedent for the music industry's evolving interaction with AI.

The label argued it had "an obligation to voice concerns" and "encourage wider discussion", because AI is proliferating at an "alarming rate and substantially exceeding regulation".

"Computer-created content should be clearly labelled as such so that the public may decide whether they consume it or not," the message added.

Creators Become 'Collateral Damage'

Smith endorsed her label's statement on her personal social media profile.

The text cautioned that musicians and songwriters were becoming "unintended casualties in the race by policymakers and corporations towards AI supremacy".

It further stated that the label would share any potential royalties with the collaborators behind Smith's music.

"If we are able in establishing that AI helped to write the lyrics and tune in 'I Run' and are granted a portion of the song, we would aim to allocate each of Jorja's collaborators with a pro-rata share," it explained.

The Continuing Rise of Computer-Generated Music

The proliferation of algorithmically created music has been a source of both interest and anxiety for the entertainment world.

• In June, the group Velvet Sundown accumulated vast numbers of streams before disclosing they used AI to aid develop their sound.
• Recently, an AI-generated "artist" called Breaking Rust topped a US country sales chart, showing that audiences are not necessarily opposed to consuming AI-made music.
• Suno was last year sued for copyright infringement by the industry's major biggest record labels, though those legal actions have now been resolved.

Subsequently, Warner Music established a collaboration with the firm, which will enable users to generate songs using the vocal likenesses, names, and likenesses of Warner acts who opt in to the service.

However, it remains uncertain how many established musicians will agree to such applications of their identity.

Recently, a collective of renowned musicians including Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush released a vinyl album containing tracks of silence or audio of empty studios in opposition to potential changes to copyright law.

They argue these amendments would make it simpler for AI companies to develop systems using protected work without securing a license.