Take care not to demonise AI, says music industry boss

Warner Chappell Music publishing co-chairman and chief executive Guy Moot has said the music industry must be “careful not to demonise” artificial intelligence.

The executive, who began his career as a tractor driver in the West Country, said the advent of AI could actually “highlight” the quality of the best songwriters as he said he had not “seen huge AI hits yet”.

He told the Press Association: “It’s quite a divisive topic right now, there’s different feelings amongst songwriters and artists about this, which we respect.

“Warner Music Group has been proactive in licensing some of these services, but only the ones who are legitimately doing the right things.

“I think we talk about litigation, legislation, but licensing, we want to be licensing these people to set a precedent that they need to pay for music and for songwriters, and do it from legally trained databases, and do all the right things and get songwriters paid.

“I do believe that’s important, if we don’t do that these companies will come off leash as such or go rogue, and that’s going to be a problem. So I am very supportive of the position we’ve taken.”

Mr Moot, whose company is one of the largest music publishing firms in the world, responsible for the likes of Raye, Dua Lipa and David Bowie’s back catalogue, said he feels there have been “good efforts” in the industry to label what he calls “AI slop”.

He added: “I said at the very beginning of this, if you’re making average music, you might be in trouble, but who wants to go and make average music?

“So I think it will actually extenuate some of the well-known songs we’ve got, if you’re a tangible artist, I think it could actually be accretive to what you do in terms of people discovering art.

“People want tangible, real experiences, they want to feel that moment in a field, at a festival, in a show, so I think it’s going to make that more valuable.

“I do think AI, from a training point of view, not everybody is trying to release 50,000 tracks a month, there’s people who are hobbyists who I think will find the joy of creating music who couldn’t, and will make a song for their kids’ birthday party.

“So I think we’ve got to be careful not to demonise it.”

The use of the technology has been a divisive topic in the music industry with former Bowie producer Tony Visconti telling PA earlier this year that he thought the late star would have experimented with the technology, but that he thinks it is “disgusting”.

Other critics of AI include dance music producer Nia Archives, who told PA AI music “won’t last”, but 4 Non Blondes singer Linda Perry said in May that she felt artists should “embrace” AI.

Mr Moot added: “I know they’re out there, but I haven’t seen huge AI hits yet, I haven’t seen it eat anybody’s lunch. I know some of the analysts are saying Warner Music Group should be graded down because they think we’re at risk from AI, but I think they are misreading the opportunity.

“I would say if you have notable songs and incredible songwriters, and great artists, I think it’s going to actually be beneficial. I think it’s going to highlight how good these people are.”

The executive was speaking ahead of receiving the Music Industry Trusts Award, which will commemorate his 30 years in music on November 9, with a London awards ceremony supporting the music charities The Brit Trust and Nordoff And Robbins.