Derek Thompson

and my wife said she liked it, I reflexively felt a little bit proud. I felt proud about something that I'm not entirely sure I even did. I wonder, A, whether that makes any sense, and B, whether it touches on the emotional, legal, moral, artistic messiness of creating art with AI.

and my wife said she liked it, I reflexively felt a little bit proud. I felt proud about something that I'm not entirely sure I even did. I wonder, A, whether that makes any sense, and B, whether it touches on the emotional, legal, moral, artistic messiness of creating art with AI.

So there's a practical question. If people use this technology, how should they use it? And I think our humble examples show how AI can essentially amplify the little brain seeds of musicians. But there's a very important and very distinct question, which is, should people use it? Is there something morally or spiritually or creatively corrupting about the use of these tools?

So there's a practical question. If people use this technology, how should they use it? And I think our humble examples show how AI can essentially amplify the little brain seeds of musicians. But there's a very important and very distinct question, which is, should people use it? Is there something morally or spiritually or creatively corrupting about the use of these tools?

So there's a practical question. If people use this technology, how should they use it? And I think our humble examples show how AI can essentially amplify the little brain seeds of musicians. But there's a very important and very distinct question, which is, should people use it? Is there something morally or spiritually or creatively corrupting about the use of these tools?

You're touching on aspects of culture and philosophy that I really do want to hold until the end. So before we do that, let's talk about the law. The state of play in AI music is that the major labels have filed lawsuits against several of the major AI startups in this space. Those lawsuits are ongoing.

You're touching on aspects of culture and philosophy that I really do want to hold until the end. So before we do that, let's talk about the law. The state of play in AI music is that the major labels have filed lawsuits against several of the major AI startups in this space. Those lawsuits are ongoing.

You're touching on aspects of culture and philosophy that I really do want to hold until the end. So before we do that, let's talk about the law. The state of play in AI music is that the major labels have filed lawsuits against several of the major AI startups in this space. Those lawsuits are ongoing.

And from my reporting, it is not 100% clear how the courts will ultimately come down on this issue of fair use and copyright in generative AI. So in the absence of any hard and fast ruling here, I think we should just talk about it. Do you think these tools are legal?

And from my reporting, it is not 100% clear how the courts will ultimately come down on this issue of fair use and copyright in generative AI. So in the absence of any hard and fast ruling here, I think we should just talk about it. Do you think these tools are legal?

And from my reporting, it is not 100% clear how the courts will ultimately come down on this issue of fair use and copyright in generative AI. So in the absence of any hard and fast ruling here, I think we should just talk about it. Do you think these tools are legal?

The YouTuber Cleo Abram, who's covered this space, has a lovely way of formalizing this question of legal responsibility in music. She has this two by two box of copy versus inspiration, pay versus not pay. And there's two squares of this box that are obvious to practically everybody. Everybody acknowledges that if you copy something to produce a paid product, you pay the person you're copying.

The YouTuber Cleo Abram, who's covered this space, has a lovely way of formalizing this question of legal responsibility in music. She has this two by two box of copy versus inspiration, pay versus not pay. And there's two squares of this box that are obvious to practically everybody. Everybody acknowledges that if you copy something to produce a paid product, you pay the person you're copying.

The YouTuber Cleo Abram, who's covered this space, has a lovely way of formalizing this question of legal responsibility in music. She has this two by two box of copy versus inspiration, pay versus not pay. And there's two squares of this box that are obvious to practically everybody. Everybody acknowledges that if you copy something to produce a paid product, you pay the person you're copying.

That is practically universally recognized as what you should do or what is legal under copyright law. It's also generally understood that if you're merely inspired by somebody, you don't have to pay them, right? If you interview... Modern artists, if you interview Kendrick Lamar or Taylor Swift and you say, who's inspired you?

That is practically universally recognized as what you should do or what is legal under copyright law. It's also generally understood that if you're merely inspired by somebody, you don't have to pay them, right? If you interview... Modern artists, if you interview Kendrick Lamar or Taylor Swift and you say, who's inspired you?

That is practically universally recognized as what you should do or what is legal under copyright law. It's also generally understood that if you're merely inspired by somebody, you don't have to pay them, right? If you interview... Modern artists, if you interview Kendrick Lamar or Taylor Swift and you say, who's inspired you?

And they give an answer, you're not going to immediately say, oh, why haven't you cut them a check for the fact of their inspiration? Nobody thinks like that. AI does scramble this in an interesting way because it creates this black box where inspiration and outright theft are intertwined.

And they give an answer, you're not going to immediately say, oh, why haven't you cut them a check for the fact of their inspiration? Nobody thinks like that. AI does scramble this in an interesting way because it creates this black box where inspiration and outright theft are intertwined.

And they give an answer, you're not going to immediately say, oh, why haven't you cut them a check for the fact of their inspiration? Nobody thinks like that. AI does scramble this in an interesting way because it creates this black box where inspiration and outright theft are intertwined.