Will.i.am discusses the challenges and opportunities AI brings to the music industry, emphasizing the need for fair compensation and licensing for artists whose work is used to train AI models. He remains optimistic, believing that while AI-generated music will grow, authentic human experiences and creativity will always hold unique value.

Will.i.am discusses the ongoing debate around artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on the music industry, particularly focusing on artists’ rights and compensation. He acknowledges that artists who are protesting the use of their work in AI training have valid concerns, especially since, in traditional contexts, companies or politicians must obtain licenses and artist approval to use copyrighted music. The current issue is that many AI models have allegedly been trained on copyrighted music without compensating the original creators, raising questions about fair use and intellectual property.

He suggests that licensing could be a viable solution for addressing these concerns, allowing artists to be compensated when their music is used to train AI models. However, he points out that the value of these recordings and copyrights is often underappreciated or undervalued by streaming platforms and other distributors. For example, when music is licensed to platforms like Spotify, the compensation artists receive per stream is often minimal, leading to further frustration about how creative work is valued in the digital age.

Will.i.am emphasizes that while licensing is a step in the right direction, it is crucial that those responsible for determining the value of music do so with a genuine appreciation for the time, effort, and creativity involved in its creation. He hopes that as the industry evolves, the worth of music will be more accurately reflected in how artists are compensated, rather than being treated as a commodity with little intrinsic value.

He also notes that AI-generated music is rapidly improving and does not necessarily need to rely on past works to create new content. Despite this, he believes there will always be a premium placed on authentic human experiences, such as live concerts and sporting events. These “lived experiences” are unique to humans and cannot be replicated by AI, which lacks the capacity for genuine life and emotion.

In conclusion, Will.i.am is optimistic about the future of the music industry, even as AI becomes more prevalent. He predicts that AI-generated bands and artists will become popular and deliver impressive performances, but the human element of live music and shared experiences will remain irreplaceable. Rather than seeing AI as a threat, he views it as a catalyst for a new creative renaissance, where both AI and human artistry can coexist and thrive.