🔗 Share this article Pop Singer the Artist's Music Company Takes a Stand Against Viral 'AI Clone' Song Smith's voice were allegedly replicated in the production of the hit song, 'I Run'. The record label representing award-winning artist Jorja Smith has stated its desire to receive a portion of royalties from a track it claims was created using an AI "clone" of the performer's unique voice. The track, titled 'I Run' by British dance act Haven, gained widespread popularity on social media last October, partly due to its smooth R&B singing by an uncredited female vocalist. Despite its momentum and impending top 40 entry in the UK and US, the song was later removed by major streaming platforms after industry bodies sent copyright requests, stating it violated copyright by imitating another artist. Even though 'I Run' has since been reissued with completely new vocals, Smith's label, FAMM, insists it believes the original recording was generated with AI trained on her extensive recordings and is now pursuing financial redress. A Larger Principle at Stake "This is not only about one artist. It's bigger than one artist or a single track," the label stated in a recent statement. FAMM further stated its belief that "both versions of the song violate the artist's rights and unjustly take advantage of the work of all the writers with whom she works." Known for hits like 'Be Honest' and 'Little Things', Smith was named British Female Solo Artist at the annual Brit Awards in 2019. Implying that her supporters were possibly deceived by Haven's first track, the label concluded: "Our industry cannot permit this to be the new normal." Creators Admit Using AI Technology A producer admitted the application of AI in a public update. The team behind the track have openly admitted utilizing AI in its production process. Producer Harrison Walker explained that the original voice were in fact his own but were extensively altered using AI music platform Suno, sometimes referred to as the "advanced tool for music". In addition, the other producer, Waypoint, whose real name is Jacob Donaghue, stated on his accounts that AI was used to "apply our starting vocal a feminine quality". Donaghue and Walker assert that they composed and produced the music themselves and have even shared evidence of their original computer files. "It shouldn't be secret that I used AI-powered vocal editing to convert solely my voice for 'I Run'," Walker elaborated. "As a creator and maker, I enjoy experimenting with new tools, techniques and remaining on the forefront of what's happening," he continued. "In order to set the record clear, the people behind HAVEN are real and people, and all we want to do is make great music for fellow humans." Legal Uncertainty and Broader Implications Jorja Smith has won multiple Brit Awards, including the top female honor in 2019. While their original release of 'I Run' was blocked from major rankings, the replacement recording did break into the UK Top 40 last week. FAMM has framed the incident as a significant precedent for the music industry's evolving interaction with AI. The label argued it had "an obligation to speak up" and "encourage wider discussion", because AI is advancing at an "rapid rate and significantly exceeding legal oversight". "Computer-created material should be transparently identified as such so that the public may choose whether they consume it or not," the statement continued. Artists as 'Unintended Damage' Smith endorsed her label's statement on her personal social media profile. The post warned that musicians and creators were turning into "collateral damage in the race by policymakers and corporations towards AI supremacy". It also stated that the label would share any awarded royalties with the collaborators behind Smith's catalogue. "If we are successful in establishing that AI assisted to compose the words and tune in 'I Run' and are awarded a portion of the song, we would seek to assign each of Jorja's co-writers with a corresponding share," it explained. The Continuing Rise of Computer-Generated Music The emergence of algorithmically created music has been a topic of both interest and consternation for the entertainment world. In the summer, the group Velvet Sundown accumulated millions of streams before disclosing they used AI to help craft their musical style. Recently, an AI-generated "artist" known as Breaking Rust topped a US country digital song sales chart, demonstrating that listeners are not always averse to consuming AI-made music. Suno was last year taken to court for alleged violations by the industry's major biggest record labels, but those cases have now been settled. Subsequently, Warner Music entered into a collaboration with the company, which will enable users to generate songs using the vocal likenesses, names, and likenesses of Warner artists who opt in to the program. Yet, it remains uncertain how a large number of established artists will agree to such applications of their identity. Recently, a collective of prominent artists such as Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush issued a vinyl album containing tracks of silence or recordings of empty studios in protest to proposed changes to copyright law. They contend these amendments would make it simpler for AI companies to train models using copyrighted work without securing a permission.