As I sit down to write down this piece, the music “Maestro” by Seventeen lingers in my thoughts. It’s a becoming background rating for a dialog on how the rise of synthetic intelligence (AI) and digital influencers raises a posh set of moral and philosophical dilemmas on company, id, and the very essence of what it means to be an artist. The lyrics of the dance R&B smash tackle a brand new layer by probing a well timed and provocative matter. The music video additional explores the eerie overlap of mankind and machine, set within the shadows of a dystopian area the place something, together with music and artwork, will be made by AI and trendy expertise. The music begs the query, “Who’s the true Maestro?” forcing us to reckon with an all-consuming query: what is definitely thought of artistic or unique within the age of AI?
The music hits near dwelling, aggravating issues round AI purposes in music in the present day. It underscores that the result’s usually formulaic decisions that favor algorithm-friendly sounds over these with emotional depth and a human contact, as soon as thought of the important constructing blocks of unique content material. However in an trade the place many artists battle to earn truthful streaming royalties or get publicity organically, digital avatars—or digital idols and acts—have steadily gained recognition. Among the many fastest-growing industries on this sector is South Korea’s booming K-pop trade.
Main Okay-pop leisure giants, together with HYBE, SM Leisure, and JYP Leisure, are increasing their content material by digital influencers. As an example, the well-known woman group Aespa options human members Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning, who even have their unique virtual avatars—æ-Karina, æ-Giselle, æ-Winter, and æ-Ningning. There’s additionally the digital boy group Plave, a quintet together with members Yejun, Noah, Bamby, Eunho, and Hamin, and extra not too long ago Naevis, who’s SM Leisure’s first AI-powered digital artist.
Examples like these present simply how fierce the competitors has gotten. Digital avatars can simply circumvent a few of the limitations that people encounter. They’ll work across the clock and provide content material faster than their flesh-and-bone counterparts. Moreover, as audiences, we like digital influencers. And it’s not simply due to the consistency or novelty issue. It’s additionally due to how they’re programmed to attach with us on a deeper degree by absolutely immersive occasions like simulated live shows, video games, or social media interactions, fostering fan engagement. They provide a way of escapism, sucking us into fantasy worlds and characters, whereas additionally making a shared sense of neighborhood, belonging, and collective pleasure.
Professor Theodore Jun Yoo—Division of Korean Language and Literature at Yonsei College, Seoul, South Korea—notes, “Digital Okay-pop idols are more and more widespread due to their potential to carry out with out bodily or psychological limitations (e.g., stress) as a result of they’ll interact followers globally by digital live shows, social media interactions, and holographic appearances (e.g., very cost-effective). Whereas this innovation presents new fan experiences and scalability by being round 24/7, such AI-generated content material is complicating the panorama because it diverts streaming royalties away from human creators.”
A deep-water scenario that it’s, AI instruments can now compose music, write lyrics, and even produce full-length albums, resulting in an oversaturation of content material that makes it tougher for human musicians to face out. Fanning the flames, the shift to streaming platforms has totally diminished the earnings musicians might earn. This pattern, Professor Yoo asserts, “exacerbates monetary challenges, particularly amongst artists already fighting low streaming payouts,” which, alongside an abundance of music obtainable on-line, is a menace to even probably the most gifted musicians, who might should battle for recognition. “Furthermore, Okay-pop depends on catchy melodies and formulation, permitting digital idols and AI instruments to amplify issues extra by utilizing data-driven algorithms quite than artistic experimentation. After all, this method can stifle musical variety and innovation, as companies will pivot in direction of profitability vs. inventive exploration,” he theorizes.
Streaming platform algorithms are inclined to desire widespread artists or those that meet sure specs, additional undermining different abilities, primarily up-and-coming ones. Once I spoke with Asian American singer-songwriter, performer, and media persona Eric Nam for our January cowl story final 12 months, he voiced his issues about the way in which algorithms continuously favor songs that match particular genres or tendencies, pushing musicians to comply with these tendencies to be seen. “Algorithms appear to be extra essential than ever, and I feel that’s sort of probably the most tough half. Once I’m in a songwriting session or after I’m speaking to my artist mates, we’re like, ‘Okay, however what’s the algorithm? Can it feed folks?’ So, we’ve misplaced quite a lot of what seems like a pure discovery—folks trying to find good music and trying to find what they like […] We have now to write down and assume in a sure manner, writing for the algorithm.”
Moreover, with the rise of short-form content material and reducing consideration spans, there’s a requirement for music that’s immediately catchy and formulaic. This pressures artists to supply music that matches the standards quite than permitting them to discover extra experimental or revolutionary sounds. “We so rapidly overlook what we watched and what we consumed, so our music is shedding worth in entrance of individuals,” Nam stated, including “For many artists we spend months and years engaged on one thing, and inside a matter of some hours, minutes, or days, it might be like transferring on. So, I might be mendacity if I stated that it’s not tough.”
Given this case, the rise of digital artists and the growing use of AI in music heighten the challenges, doubtlessly sidelining people whereas paving the way in which for a extra predictable method to music. So, it’s essential to assume in your ft—strike a steadiness that enables technological improvements and in addition preserves inventive integrity. In line with Professor Yoo, “We have to acknowledge the coexistence of AI and artists now. It’s inevitable, and similar to the commercial or digital revolution, people and artists want to reply in artistic methods. The machine/AI can now be used to enhance and permit artists to be extra artistic.”
The ever-expanding Okay-pop trade is betting huge on this situation by steadily producing digital influencers, thereby escalating fears about how the trade is quickly altering. In response, Olivia Oh, digital woman group Mave:’s Process Pressure Chief on the Music Content material Division at Kakao Leisure Corp., said in one of our earlier interviews, “It was by no means our intention for digital idols to switch human idols. We used a wide range of Okay-pop formulation, and it’s true that present Okay-pop followers usually tend to take pleasure in and assist digital idols, however that doesn’t imply digital idols can exchange real-life idols. I feel the market and pleasure created by digital idols is new and ought to be in a class all by itself.”
It means that digital influencers aren’t a passing pattern—they’re a part of the long run. What we now want is considerate training, laws, and truthful funding for human artists to outlive and thrive. Nonetheless, in contrast to AI-created music, which depends on statistical fashions and sample recognition, sounds created by people carry the load of their historical past, cultural background, and emotional state, leading to a singular and deeply private inventive expression that resonates extra profoundly with listeners.
Transferring forward, it could be a extra built-in music trade the place human artists will interact extra actively with digital artists or AI instruments in revolutionary methods to reinforce their viewers and their work. However in doing so, as Professor Yoo rightly identifies, “it requires cautious steadiness to keep away from eroding the distinctive worth that human artistry brings to music.”