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The record label representing award-winning artist Jorja Smith has declared its desire to claim a portion of earnings from a track it claims was created using an artificial intelligence "replica" of the singer's unique voice.

The song, titled 'I Run' by UK dance act Haven, achieved massive popularity on social media in October, partly due to its smooth soul singing by an uncredited woman vocalist.

Despite its momentum and potential chart position in both UK and US, the track was subsequently removed by leading streaming platforms after music organizations sent copyright notices, alleging it breached copyright by impersonating another musician.

Although 'I Run' has now been re-released with different singing, Smith's label, FAMM, insists it is convinced the original recording was made with AI trained on her extensive recordings and is now pursuing appropriate compensation.

A Broader Principle in Play

"The situation is not only about one artist. This is larger than one artist or a single track," the label stated in a public statement.

FAMM further stated its belief that "both versions of the track violate Jorja's rights and unjustly take advantage of the creative output of all the songwriters with whom she collaborates."

Known for songs like 'Be Honest' and 'Little Things', Smith was named Best British Female at the annual Brit Awards in 2019.

Implying that her supporters were potentially deceived by Haven's original release, the label added: "We must not permit this to become the new normal."

Creators Acknowledge Using AI Tools

The duo responsible for the song have openly confirmed utilizing AI in its production process.

Producer Harrison Walker explained that the original voice were actually his own but were extensively manipulated using AI music software Suno, sometimes called the "ChatGPT for music".

In addition, the second producer, Waypoint, whose real name is Jacob Donaghue, stated on his accounts that AI was used to "give our starting vocal a feminine quality".

Donaghue and Walker assert that they composed and produced the music themselves and have even provided files of their original production sessions.

"It is no mystery that I used AI-assisted vocal processing to convert exclusively my voice for 'I Run'," Walker elaborated.

"As a songwriter and producer, I like using innovative technologies, techniques and remaining on the forefront of industry trends," he continued.

"In order to set the facts clear, the artists behind HAVEN are actual and human, and all we aim to do is make enjoyable music for other humans."

Regulatory Gray Areas and Broader Impact

While their first release of 'I Run' was blocked from major rankings, the new recording managed to enter the UK Top 40 recently.

FAMM has framed the entire episode as a critical test case for the entertainment sector's evolving interaction with artificial intelligence.

The label stated it had "an obligation to voice concerns" and "stimulate public discourse", because AI is advancing at an "rapid rate and substantially exceeding legal oversight".

"Computer-created content should be transparently identified as such so that the audience may choose whether they consume it or not," the message added.

Creators Become 'Collateral Victims'

Smith endorsed her label's position on her personal Instagram page.

The text cautioned that musicians and creators were turning into "unintended casualties in the competition by governments and tech firms towards AI supremacy".

It also noted that the label would distribute any potential royalties with the collaborators behind Smith's music.

"If we are able in proving that AI assisted to write the lyrics and melody in 'I Run' and are awarded a portion of the song, we would seek to allocate each of Jorja's co-writers with a corresponding share," it detailed.

The Continuing Rise of AI Music

The emergence of algorithmically created music has been a source of both fascination and consternation for the music industry.

• In the summer, the band Velvet Sundown gathered vast numbers of plays before revealing they used AI to help craft their sound.
• Last month, an AI-generated "artist" known as Breaking Rust led a US country digital song sales chart, demonstrating that listeners are not necessarily opposed to hearing computer-generated music.
• Suno was previously sued for alleged violations by the world's major largest record labels, but those cases have now been settled.

Following this, Warner Music entered into a collaboration with the company, which will allow users to create songs using the vocal likenesses, names, and images of Warner artists who agree to the program.

Yet, it is unclear how many established artists will consent to such applications of their work.

Recently, a group of renowned musicians such as Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush released a vinyl album featuring tracks of silence or recordings of quiet studios in opposition to potential changes to copyright law.

They contend these changes would make it easier for AI companies to train models using protected work without obtaining a license.