The Juno Awards say a controversial 害羞草研究所渄eep fake害羞草研究所� song featuring unauthorized sound-alike vocals of Drake and the Weeknd won害羞草研究所檛 be eligible at next year害羞草研究所檚 celebration of Canadian music.
The organization害羞草研究所檚 president Allan Reid said that newly introduced 害羞草研究所淎I Eligibility害羞草研究所� rules lay out the basics of how artificial intelligence can be used in making songs 害羞草研究所� and the popular mashup of the two famed Toronto singers doesn害羞草研究所檛 meet the requirements.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所楧rake and the Weeknd害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� but that害羞草研究所檚 not them,害羞草研究所� Reid told The Canadian Press.
害羞草研究所淭hat is not their voices; those are AI-generated voices.害羞草研究所�
Before submissions for the 2024 Junos open on Monday, leadership has clarified that eligible recordings can use AI, but that it can害羞草研究所檛 be the 害羞草研究所渟ole or core component害羞草研究所� of the project.
Exactly what that means is still up for some interpretation, Reid conceded. He described this as 害羞草研究所渧ery much a learning year for us害羞草研究所� with the established rules as 害羞草研究所渁 baseline害羞草研究所� to work from.
害羞草研究所淲e want to make sure that we have humans being recognized,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e can害羞草研究所檛 be awarding an AI project a Juno.害羞草研究所�
The new criteria come as the music industry contends with a fast-evolving technology that害羞草研究所檚 flooded the internet with 害羞草研究所渄eep fake害羞草研究所� songs which use computer-generated voices that mimic the real artists.
害羞草研究所淗eart on My Sleeve,害羞草研究所� a song created by a producer who calls himself Ghostwriter and who to Reid害羞草研究所檚 understanding is not Canadian, rattled the music industry earlier this year with its convincing performances by fake versions of Drake and the Weeknd.
Its release led record industry giant Universal Music Group, distributor of both Canadian artists, to issue takedown notices to music streamers. They released a statement calling unauthorized AI-made songs 害羞草研究所渁 breach of our agreements and a violation of copyright law,害羞草研究所� while the Grammys recently clarified the song would not be eligible at its awards show.
However, not every case is unauthorized.
More recently, Vancouver-born musician Grimes issued voice-modelling software that allows fans to add her to their music, as long as they split the royalties with her.
Reid says both examples could lead to different outcomes at the Junos.
害羞草研究所淗eart on My Sleeve害羞草研究所� would害羞草研究所檝e never been eligible for the awards, he said, since its creator isn害羞草研究所檛 Canadian and neither vocalist was involved. The song also wasn害羞草研究所檛 commercially released since it was unauthorized.
Grimes is a somewhat different case, he added. Her vocals are AI-created and therefore not technically real, which means they害羞草研究所檙e not eligible. However, if the human producer who used her voice software is Canadian then the Junos would take 害羞草研究所渁 deeper look害羞草研究所� at the case.
Submission forms do not directly ask if AI technology was used in the creation, said Liz Morgante, senior manager of the academy害羞草研究所檚 operations. However, any projects that raise questions will be reviewed by the Junos music advisory committees.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 no question AI is going to revolutionize how music is created,害羞草研究所� Reid added.
害羞草研究所淎nd with the rate that things are changing 害羞草研究所� it害羞草研究所檚 hard for us to predict where things will land in the future, which is why we need to take initial steps and learn as this evolves.害羞草研究所�
The Juno Awards take place March 24, 2024 in Halifax.
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