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The music company representing award-winning singer Jorja Smith has stated its desire to claim a share of earnings from a track it asserts was created using an artificial intelligence "replica" of the performer's unique vocal style.

The song, titled 'I Run' by UK electronic duo Haven, achieved massive traction on TikTok last October, in part due to its polished R&B vocals by an uncredited woman singer.

Although its success and impending chart position in the UK and US, the track was later removed by major music services after industry bodies issued takedown requests, alleging it violated intellectual property law by imitating another musician.

Although 'I Run' has since been reissued with different singing, Smith's label, FAMM, insists it believes the initial version was made with AI programmed on her body of recordings and is now seeking appropriate compensation.

A Broader Principle in Play

"The situation is not only about Jorja. It's larger than a single performer or one song," the label stated in a public announcement.

FAMM further expressed its view that "both versions of the track infringe on Jorja's rights and unjustly take advantage of the creative output of all the writers with whom she works."

Famous for songs like 'Be Honest' and 'Little Things', Smith was crowned British Female Solo Artist at the prestigious Brit Awards in 2019.

Implying that her fans were potentially deceived by Haven's first track, the label concluded: "We cannot permit this to be the new normal."

Producers Acknowledge Employing AI Technology

The duo responsible for the song have openly admitted utilizing AI in its creation.

Songwriter Harrison Walker explained that the initial vocals were actually his own but were heavily manipulated using AI music platform Suno, often referred to as the "advanced tool for music".

In addition, the second producer, Waypoint, identified as Jacob Donaghue, stated on his accounts that AI was used to "apply our starting vocal a feminine tone".

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

"This shouldn't be mystery that I used AI-powered vocal processing to convert exclusively my voice for 'I Run'," Walker said.

"As a creator and producer, I like experimenting with innovative technologies, techniques and staying on the cutting edge of what's happening," he added.

"In order to set the record straight, the artists behind HAVEN are actual and people, and all we want to do is make enjoyable music for fellow humans."

Regulatory Gray Areas and Industry Implications

Although their first version of 'I Run' was blocked from major rankings, the new version managed to enter the UK Top 40 last week.

FAMM has positioned the incident as a significant test case for the music industry's evolving interaction with artificial intelligence.

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

"Computer-created material should be clearly labelled as such so that the audience may choose whether they consume it or not," the statement added.

Creators Become 'Unintended Victims'

Smith endorsed her label's statement on her personal social media page.

The text warned that artists and songwriters were turning into "unintended casualties in the race by policymakers and corporations towards AI dominance".

It further noted that the label would distribute any awarded royalties with the writers behind Smith's music.

"Should we are successful in proving that AI helped to write the words and melody in 'I Run' and are awarded a portion of the song, we would aim to allocate every one of Jorja's co-writers with a pro-rata share," it explained.

The Continuing Growth of AI Music

The emergence of AI-generated music has been a topic of both interest and anxiety for the music industry.

• In the summer, the band Velvet Sundown gathered millions of plays before revealing they used AI to aid craft their musical style.
• Last month, an AI-generated "artist" called Breaking Rust led a US country sales chart, showing that audiences are not always opposed to consuming AI-made music.
• Suno was last year sued for copyright infringement by the world's major largest record labels, but those cases have since been resolved.

Subsequently, Warner Music established a partnership with the firm, which will allow users to generate songs using the voices, names, and likenesses of Warner artists who opt in to the service.

However, it is uncertain how many established artists will agree to such applications of their work.

Just last week, a group of renowned musicians including Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush issued a vinyl album featuring silent songs or audio of empty studios in protest to proposed changes to copyright law.

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