The age of artificial intelligence (AI) is upon us. In the music industry—as in many places—this new technology is a double-edged sword. Without it, beloved country music hitmaker Randy Travis may have never recorded another song after a near-fatal stroke stole his ability to perform in 2013. On the other, AI also raises legitimate concerns about transparency, consent, and capacity for manipulating audiences. Four-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Martina McBride is speaking out about the dangers AI-generated deepfakes can pose to artists’ livelihoods.
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Martina McBride Rallies For Congressional Safeguards Against AI
In May 2025, Martina McBride took those concerns before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law. Last week, she again raised the alarm during the CNBC AI Summit in Nashville. McBride spoke about the NO FAKES Act, a proposed bipartisan bill that aims to protect individuals’ voices and likeness.
One of McBride’s earliest hits, 1993’s “Independence Day,” faced backlash from radio stations. The song starkly depicts a mother taking extreme measures to fight back against spousal abuse. Today, instead of worrying that people will never hear the song’s message, McBride now fears that bad actors will change that message entirely.
“The thing that I’m most proud of in my career is my reputation and the fact that when I say something, my fans trust that it’s the truth,” McBride said, according to CNBC.
Therefore, “the thought that my legacy… everything that I stand for as an artist and as a human being could be manipulated to be the opposite… just, the possibilities are endless.”
[RELATED: 3 Martina McBride Songs That Even the Most Talented Vocalists Would Struggle To Cover]
AI Deepfakes Pose Dangers to Artists, Fans
In addition to already-established artists, Martina McBride also worried how such scams could torpedo promising careers.
“If someone can invade that artist-fan bond and distort the story a young artist tells the world about who they are, careers could be lost before they truly get started,” the “Concrete Angel” singer said.
She added, “At some point, you can’t discern what I say and what somebody manipulates for me to say. And, you know, I always think, like, in 100 years, will we be able to tell which is which?”
Featured image by Michael Tullberg/Getty Images
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