The rapid evolution of AI has been talking point for months, and AI-generated music specifically has garnered a lot of conversation. Ice Cube recently weighed in with his opinion on AI, saying he isn't feeling it, at all.
"I think AI is demonic," Cube said on the Full Send podcast. "I think AI is gonna get a backlash from real people, real authentic people."
He specifically talked about "heart on my sleeve," a song that used AI-generated vocals to imitate Drake and The Weeknd. "I think that's terrible," Cube said. "I don't wanna hear that bullshit. He should sue whoever made it."
When asked about people using his vocals to make AI-generated verses, Cube said he'd sue whoever tried it. "I'm gonna sue the motherfucker that make it too. And the people and the platform that play it."
In March, Universal Music Group, demanded Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal and all streaming platforms block AI versions of their artists and their copyrighted songs. “We will not hesitate to take steps to protect our rights and those of our artists,” UMG wrote to online platforms. However, even that development still leaves questions about deepfake verses with original lyrics and production.
According to IP lawyer, Antoine Wade, as of right now, things are tricky for artists. He told Rock The Bells that technically AI-generated verses are not illegal.
"As of now, they’re not illegal but because of the chaos and manipulation they can cause, there may be remedies available to the person whose rights are being threatened."
Check out Ice Cube's interview below.