An AI-Generated Drake Imitation Has Been Pulled From Streaming Services

After rapidly racking up millions of listens and creating debate over the use of artificial intelligence to imitate Canadian singers Drake and the Weeknd over the past few weeks, a new song created using AI software has been taken down from streaming services.

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Last Friday, "Heart On My Sleeve" was released on top streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Music where it was briefly available until Universal Music Group (UMG) -- the company that publishes both artists through its subsidiary Republic Records -- claimed it violated copyrights and requested its removal from the platforms.

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Singer Selena Gomez, who dated The Weeknd once, is featured in the song via artificial intelligence (AI) simulating their voices.

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Using AI technology, the song was created by the creator of the track, who is only known as "ghostwriter," claiming the track was generated using software that was trained on the voices of Drake and The Weeknd.

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His comment on TikTok read, "This is just the beginning," adding that it was just a beginning.

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According to Universal Music Group, which controls around a third of the global music industry, AI is being used by artificial intelligence to produce similar music to what is produced by famous musicians.

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As a result of training AI software without artist consent, the company posed the question as to whether all stakeholders in the music ecosystem would prefer to be on the side of artists, fans, or human creative expression, or whether they would prefer to be on the side of deep fakes, fraud, and not paying artists their fair share of compensation.

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As per documents reviewed by the Trade Algo, UMG wrote to streaming platforms in March seeking their assistance in preventing AI apps from extracting melodies and lyrics from the songs they own copyright rights to, according to emails viewed by the publication.

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AFP reported on Tuesday that UMG, as streaming services moved swiftly to take down the most recent viral song, "was encouraged" by that the platform partners, who have recognized that they need to be part of the solution to the issue, had engaged on these issues. "We are confident that they will be able to achieve the results we want.", UMG said.

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According to the statement, these instances highlight the importance of platforms' legal and ethical responsibility to prevent artists from being harmed by their services.

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As artificial intelligence makes its way into the music industry, it is a subject of debate, with some denouncing copyright infringement and others applauding its capabilities.

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For a live show, David Guetta added a vocal sample that reminded him of rapper Eminem to a song. However, he says that the French producer won't release the recording commercially as it is for a live performance only.

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It was in an interview with the BBC that Guetta made the comparison between artificial intelligence and instruments included in musical revolutions such as rock 'n' roll, hip hop, bass synthesizers, drum machines, and samplers.