After AR Rahman's Questionable Use Of AI In Lal Salaam Songs, Kavita Krishnamurthy Says She's Scared

Renowned singer Kavita Krishnamurthy recently expressed apprehension about the potential misuse of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the world of music during an exclusive interview with ANI. Krishnamurthy addressed the importance of an artist's ability to convey emotion to the audience. She suggested that while technology is acceptable, AI in music raises concerns for her.

What are Kavita Krishnamurthy’s thoughts on AI?

The legendary singer articulated her fear and said, “Technology is okay, but I do feel scared of Artificial Intelligence (AI). And unless it’s used for medicine or something, science or something like that, for music, when you think of AI, I feel very scared and I feel there can be a lot of misuse.”

Krishnamurthy questioned the emotional authenticity of AI-generated music, raising an example involving her voice. She pondered the scenario of AI creating a song in a challenging language using her voice and questioned whether it would truly carry the intended emotions. The singer reflected on the essence of singing and said that the core element is emotion, regardless of the song's nature.

In light of her concerns, she expressed doubt about AI's ability to transmit the unique emotional nuances of her voice or those of other accomplished singers like Alka Yagnik, Shreya Ghoshal, or Arijit Singh. Krishnamurthy's scepticism towards AI in music aligns with her belief that if technology cannot convey emotions effectively, it fails to serve the true essence of artistic expression.

An excerpt of her byte read, “The main part of singing is emotion, in any form, whether it is a spiritual song, it’s a happy song or it’s a sad song. If you’re not able to pass on an emotion, then you’re not an artist.”

What was AR Rahman’s AI-generated song controversy?

The interview touched upon the recent use of AI by music maestro AR Rahman in the song Thimiri Yezhuda from the Rajinikanth starrer Lal Salaam. While some appreciated Rahman's incorporation of AI, others criticised the move and said that it could have been an opportunity for aspiring singers.