The war between AI and artists continues as more and more creatives take a stand against the technology. While some singers embraced the new age of technology, others, like Adam Paddock, learned AI took their music without permission. Paddock never permitted AI companies to use his songs as training material, making it all the more shocking when he discovered they had used over 70 percent of his discography.
Until now, the debate surrounding AI has focused on the technology creating lyrics and songs without a human touch. AI already proved itself more than capable of tricking fans. As for Paddock, the singer faced a new threat that had nothing to do with AI creating songs. Instead, the technology was using the music he spent years writing and recording without his knowledge or consent.
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Releasing a statement on AI stealing his music, Paddock said, “I found out 48 of my songs are being used to train AI models to make new music. This is wrong on so many levels. At no point did I ever consent to anything like this. In an era where you’re able to make as many half-baked heartless suno songs as you would life, there needs to be a way for artists making entirely original art to be able to opt out of this sort of thing.”
[RELATED: Study Reveals Nearly 90-Percent of Musicians Are Integrating AI Into Their Music Creation]
Adam Paddock Warns AI Is Hurting More Than Singers
Although it was Paddock’s name on the songs, the singer cared more about the people who helped make his dream possible. “Keep in mind, this is impacting more than just me. This is impacting my cowriters, my producers, my mixers, my mastering engineers, every instrumentalist that played on every song. I think now more than ever, we’re looking for something human in the art that we consume.”
Much like his team, Paddock believed AI companies were taking advantage of more artists than just him. “So many of these bartenders are the folks with dozens of songs being used to train AI models, and we’re getting to see no money from that.”
Labeling the entire movement of AI a setback in the creative process, Paddock demanded compensation. “Somebody’s going to have to pay for all this money that’s being directly taken out of our pockets, because the producers of this town, the writers, the instrumentalists, the mixing engineers, everybody is losing in this scenario.”
Aside from Paddock, Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn and Delaware Senator Chris Coons hoped to put restrictions on AI with their bipartisan bill. If adopted, the bill would make it illegal for companies to create digital content without the creator’s consent.
(Photo by Ying Tang/NurPhoto via Getty Images)