Solomon Ray became the top artist on the iTunes Top 100 Christian and gospel albums chart last week. But there’s something that may bother you about the Christian artist: He is not human.
According to Christianity Today, Ray was entirely created by artificial intelligence. That includes his voice, performance style, lyrics and persona.
His most recent album is called “A Soulful Christmas,” and it features tracks with titles like “Soul to the World” and “Jingle Bell Soul.”
AI-generated music is a new frontier
Solomon Ray is not unique. AI-generated music is a new frontier in the entertainment world, and artists, industry insiders, and consumers are trying to adapt.
Earlier this month, Xania Monet became the first AI-powered virtual artist to debut on a Billboard airplay chart. That sparked debate about the role of technology in the music industry.
Some platforms are taking actions. In September, Spotify announced protections against the impersonation of artists and deceptive content. The company acknowledged both the positive and negative sides of AI in music.
“At its best, AI is unlocking incredible new ways for artists to create music and for listeners to discover it,” Spotify said. “At its worst, AI can be used by bad actors and content farms to confuse or deceive listeners, push ‘slop’ into the ecosystem, and interfere with authentic artists working to build their careers.
Christian singer Forrest Frank addressed the ethical pitfalls of AI in a social media post where he warned consumers.
“At minimum, AI does not have the Holy Spirit inside of it,” Frank said. “So I think that it’s really weird to be opening up your spirit to something that has no spirit.”
How is AI-generated music made?
AI-generated music is produced using algorithms that learn patterns from huge amounts of musical data. From this training, the AI can create new melodies, harmonies, rhythms, lyrics, or even full songs on its own.
Some AI tools make music from scratch, others help musicians co-compose, and others allow people with no musical background to create professional-quality tracks.
