AI Equals Get By

Artificial Intelligence is something that is reinventing life before our eyes. If you think about kids who are going to be ten years old this year, or even who have turned that age within the past two or three years, they will never experience life without a smart phone or slow internet. Though artificial intelligence goes far beyond what a smart phone is, smart phone applications use AI. “AI (pronounced AYE-EYE) or artificial intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems.” [1] The purpose of this research is to state how artificial intelligence is destroying authenticity of talent, specifically in music. There are less and less people who have to work for what they want these days and artificial intelligence is their accomplice in this crime. Back in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and even 90’s, when music became more dominant in our society, bands had to make records and cassettes or CDs to hand out at shows and personally hand to people to get signed to a label. This process still needs to happen, however, one just used artificial intelligence from their smart phone and a record could be made just by using one finger. People needed talent to make music and now anyone could make a song because artificial intelligence does the math for the user to sound like a star. “If there is one thing computers do well, it’s math. All of music’s raw components — key, mode, melody, harmony and rhythm — can be expressed mathematically. As a result, computers can help people make music, even if they don’t know their elbow from an F clef.” [2] This is heartbreaking for real musicians who put in time and effort into their art. I look at musicians from the 80’s and say that I want to be as good as them or even better than them and become that famous. Fast forward to 2013, you do not know if you can say I want to be as good as them because chances are they are all processed pop that is made through the magic of artificial intelligence. If you look at One Direction, their second album is described using mostly computer software as the main source of power. “Their second studio album, Take Me Home (2012), is characterised by rock-inherited pop, prominent electric guitar riffs, bright synthesizers, double entendres for sexual intercourse, a homogeneoussound and message, and the pitch-correcting software Auto-Tune.” [3] The auto-tune processes pitch and keeps you in key. You could make it sound obvious and turn the correction to a high level or keep it low so it sounds absolutely natural and then nobody could tell you are using it. These features are now being used on phones and for free. An application, called uJam, lets anyone sound professional. “Make your own song within minutes and sound like a pro. Just for fun, or for serious music production. Compose, record and arrange your song. It’s free and no download is required.”[4] This states that now you could sound as professional as your idols and do it on a phone for absolutely free! Artificial intelligence is creating shortcuts and taking away authenticity from the individuals of the future. It is often said that the kids are the future, but now I feel lost in society if the kids are using these programs. Artificial intelligence seems to be great in fields of business and progress for medicine or research, but when it is put in the hands of people on iPhones or other smart phones, it creates a very lazy world and that is not progress for what we want to be as people. 1) [1] http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/AI 2) [2] http://www.wired.com/business/2010/06/5-mash-ups-of-music-and-artificial-intelligence/ 3) [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Direction 4) [4] http://www.ujam.com/