Ever-more capable AI music tools emerging are set to spark a meteoric explosion in the future of AI music creation.

YouTube has released a new experimental feature allowing creators to remix songs using AI prompts. Part of the Dream Track suite, this feature lets creators modify a track’s genre, mood, or vibe, creating 30-second customized remixes for Shorts. Creators can explain their changes to AI with a text-based prompt.

Supported by AI-generated vocals from artists like Charli XCX, Demi Lovato, Charlie Puth, and John Legend, these remixes aim to boost creative storytelling – while ensuring the original work is attributed.

Creators like TikTok artist @remixqueen were excited about the new feature: “Finally, I can make Adele sound like she’s in a rave!” Some like DJ Jazzy Rant expressed skepticism, declaring, “AI might remix the vibe, but it can’t remix the soul.”

This move could boost ad revenue by fueling fresh, engaging content— while it risks ruffling feathers among artists worried about ethical and creative boundaries. Music artists will however face many more challenges as generative-AI music gets better and better. Recently, Nvidia released Fugatto, which it says is the first generative AI model that showcases emergent properties – the ability to combine free-form instructions so that whatever users can describe the model can create.

“Fugatto is our first step toward a future where unsupervised multitask learning in audio synthesis and transformation emerges from data and model scale.” – Rafael Valle, manager of applied audio research at NVIDIA

AI services such as Suno and Udio are making AI-generated music more realistic than ever and promise to rapidly transform music production. Already resulting in lawsuits and anti-AI petitions from the recording industry, these new AI services showcase the boundless creative possibilities of AI-generated music and also raise questions about authenticity and intellectual property.

Many see AI as democratizing music creation, enabling anyone to produce professional-quality tracks. Artists and industry leaders worry about the ethical implications, particularly when AI systems are trained on copyrighted material. AI advocates such as Ed Newton-Rex noted that AI-generated tracks compete with human-created ones for royalties, potentially undermining traditional musicians and these AI music generation services should “license and pay for training data”.

AR Rahman too has spoken out on the dangers of AI saying: “An even bigger evil is people misusing AI and not paying the composer even if they are borrowing his style.”

The AI Music Challenge

Ethical concerns arise when AI models are trained on copyrighted works without proper attribution or compensation. With AI trained on countless tracks, questions loom: Are we heading for a world where Taylor Swift sues an algorithm for emotional damages? Founders like Suno’s creators are optimistic but they seem to be treading in murky copyright waters.

You never quite know what AI will serve. Request a “jazzy romantic serenade,” and you might end up with something that sounds like jazz—but performed by a toaster on espresso. Like a well-meaning karaoke enthusiast, it hits the right notes but sometimes stumbles on the soul of the song. AI can generate words, but capturing the poetic magic of Bob Dylan? – still on the to-do list. 

Furthermore, AI-generated music can struggle with originality, as the outputs are frequently derivative of its training data. It underlines the difficulty in balancing creativity with respect for artistry and intellectual property.

What the Future Holds

AI-generated music has sparked both awe and controversy, but as it gets more and more realistic, the controversy will only amplify. While today it may excel at creating meme-worthy tracks or quirky remixes, its slow but steady integration into serious artistry hints at a seismic shift in the way music is composed, consumed, and valued. As these tools evolve, the line between human creativity and machine-driven innovation will become increasingly blurred, forcing the industry to confront questions of ethics, ownership, and authenticity on an unprecedented scale.

Will AI generated music give the world the next global hit or end up filling the space of elevator music? The answer lies in how creators and audiences choose to embrace—or resist—this technological evolution. For now, AI-generated music remains a double-edged sword, opening doors to boundless creativity while challenging the very soul of what it means to make music. The stage is set, and the soundtrack of the future is only beginning to play.