AI in music: Not a gimmick; it needs to have a purpose, says A R Rahman

Music legend A R Rahman, who employed artificial intelligence (AI) software to replicate the voices of late vocalists Bamba Bakya and Shahul Hameed for a new song, believes that technology shouldn’t be exploited in a “gimmicky” or improper way and should only be used with authorization. Rahman is pleased that artificial intelligence technology has made it possible for him to revive the voices of his friends and previous musical partners. This technology is a contentious topic in the globe, with many viewing it with a mixture of amazement and terror.

“(You should) only take action when absolutely necessary and when you are capable of doing so. It must not be mediocre. Rahman said in a video interview with PTI, “It’s an effect and has to fulfill its purpose; it’s not a gimmick.”
For the song “Thimiri Yezhuda” in “Lal Salaam,” which is directed by Rajinikanth’s daughter Aishwarya Rajinikanth, Bakya and Hameed are listed as playback singers. On February 9, the movie is expected to open in theaters.
The Grammy Award-winning artist said that he and his group understood how crucial it was to have the vocalists’ families’ approval before deciding to employ AI software.
“We approached the families and requested their consent; they were ecstatic and agreed to the compensation. They have all contributed these aspects of their personalities to the family. They have the freedom to accept or reject. They agreed in this instance, therefore we made advantage of it. We had legal authority, therefore nothing about that bothers me,” he said.
Rahman has seen videos of artificial intelligence (AI) replicas of political figures performing songs that are accessible on Tik Tok and Instagram. The internet is rife with individuals remixing classic songs using modern technologies.
“… Seeing some of them, which are really true, was entertaining. On the other hand, obtaining authorization is appropriate when engaging in a business endeavor that generates revenue. It is essential to make up for it. Thus, a procedure has to be established; otherwise, individuals would abuse it, the speaker said.
“It was among the reasons I asked Aishwarya, the director, ‘Can we do this?'” And she said, “Yes,” to the Rajinikanth film “Lal Salaam.” When she heard the findings, she was ecstatic. Actually, a lot of people are requesting different vocalists right now, such as SP Balasubramaniam.”
At the age of 42, Bakya passed away in September 2022. Bakya sang well-known songs including the most recent “Ponni Nadhi” in Mani Ratnam’s “Ponniyin Selvan”. He has also performed on the songs “Pullinangal” from Rajinikanth’s “2.0”, “Kalame Kalame” from Vijay’s “Bigil”, and “Simtarangaran” from “Sarkar”.
Hameed collaborated extensively with Rahman on movies including “Gentleman,” “Jeans,” and “Kadhalan” until he passed away in 1998.
The 57-year-old artist compared his endeavor to how historical characters are brought back to life on enormous screens in movies.
“This is not a long-term fix. What if we brought them back, like movies, I thought? Gandhi ji and Subhas Chandra Bose returned with us. That is a lot like that. We reclaim the right to express ourselves by obtaining consent and using extreme caution while doing so.The kids, their soulmates and companions, and the family all have great significance. I wouldn’t have done it if they had said no. “No, scrap it,” is what I would have replied.
The master of music is aware of the discussion around artificial intelligence, where there is a widespread concern that it might result in job losses across several sectors.
Those in positions of authority should exercise prudence while using technology, he said.
“Humanity shouldn’t suffer from any technology. It ought solely to improve or elevate our working methods. It is not worth it, even if one job is lost in the process. There will always be good people and terrible people in the world. While good people will do things legally, evil individuals will wonder how they can get away with it all and still pocket the money. There is a moral component to this, therefore those in positions of leadership in particular need to exercise extreme caution to avoid eliminating employment as a result. It ought to provide more work for people,” he said.