Some artists are fighting back against AI, but some—including ethereal electronic synthpop musician Grimes—are trying to work with, not against it. Pitchfork explains:
Grimes has unveiled an AI voice software, Elf.Tech. The beta software invites you to record or upload vocals for regurgitation in Grimes' own voice, employing similar technology to Holly Herndon's Holly+. Artists can commercially release the results in exchange for half of any master-recording royalties. Grimes announced a pair of new songs, "Music for Machines" and "I Wanna Be Software," in tandem with the launch, though their release date has not been set.
Through Elf.Tech, Grimes has also shared a demo of her collaborative remake of Richie Hawtin's Plastikman track "Passage (Out)." Find it in the "Bounces" folder on the website. You can also access stems to train your own Grimes AI. The project is powered by the generative AI Triniti.
In a Twitter thread, Grimes explains the plan. She begins by stating,
This is all a beta test so it may be imperfect at first. But! Let's try this out! If you go to http://elf.tech u can upload ur voice singing or record directly into the app (click the "create" button to do this). It will output the same audio but with my voice.
She also explains the compensation:
We ask for 50% splits on master recording royalties in exchange for a grimes feat and distribution. There's a *small* chance we can organize getting you publishing $ as well but we can't guarantee this yet. But I hope we can!! Would be cool.
Grimes specifically asks for folks to be "tasteful," but we all know what the internet does best. She also addresses what she'll do if the 4chan trolls start cranking out the offensive content they have perfected:
Ok hate this part but we may do copyright takedowns ONLY for rly rly toxic lyrics w grimes voice: imo you'd rly have to push it for me to wanna take smthn down but I guess plz don't be *the worst*. as in, try not to exit the current Overton window of lyrical content w regards to sex/violence. Like no baby murder songs plz. I think I'm Streisand effecting this now but I don't wanna have to issue a takedown and be a hypocrite later. ***That's the only rule. Rly don't like to do a rule but don't wanna be responsible for a Nazi anthem unless it's somehow in jest a la producers I guess. – wud prefer avoiding political stuff but If it's a small meme with ur friends we prob won't penalize that. Probably just if smthn is viral and anti abortion or smthn like that. Rly rly don't like adding rules so I apologize but this is the only thing
What could possibly go wrong?
