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The record label representing award-winning artist Jorja Smith has stated its intention to claim a share of earnings from a song it asserts was created using an AI "replica" of the performer's distinctive vocal style.

The song, titled 'I Run' by UK electronic duo Haven, gained widespread traction on social media in October, in part due to its smooth R&B singing by an unnamed woman singer.

Although its momentum and potential top 40 entry in the UK and US, the song was subsequently removed by leading streaming platforms after industry bodies sent copyright requests, alleging it breached intellectual property law by impersonating another artist.

Even though 'I Run' has now been re-released with completely new singing, Smith's label, FAMM, maintains it is convinced the initial recording was generated with AI programmed on her body of recordings and is now pursuing appropriate compensation.

A Larger Principle at Stake

"This is not only about one artist. This is larger than one artist or one song," the label stated in a recent announcement.

FAMM also expressed its belief that "each iterations of the track violate the artist's rights and unjustly take advantage of the work of all the songwriters with whom she collaborates."

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

Implying that her fans were potentially deceived by Haven's first track, the label concluded: "Our industry must not allow this to become the new normal."

Creators Admit Using AI Technology

The team behind the song have openly confirmed utilizing AI during its creation.

Songwriter Harrison Walker clarified that the original voice were actually his own but were extensively altered using AI music platform Suno, often referred to as the "advanced tool for music".

In addition, the second member, Waypoint, whose real name is Jacob Donaghue, stated on his accounts that AI was used to "apply our original vocal a female quality".

Donaghue and Walker assert that they composed and produced the music themselves and have even shared evidence of their source computer files.

"It is no secret that I used AI-assisted vocal editing to transform exclusively my voice for 'I Run'," Walker elaborated.

"As a creator and maker, I enjoy using new tools, methods and staying on the forefront of industry trends," he added.

"To set the record straight, the artists behind HAVEN are actual and people, and all we aim to do is make great music for fellow humans."

Regulatory Gray Areas and Industry Implications

While their original release of 'I Run' was suspended from official rankings, the replacement recording did break into the UK Top 40 last week.

FAMM has framed the incident as a critical test case for the entertainment sector's changing interaction with artificial intelligence.

The label argued it had "a duty to voice concerns" and "stimulate public discourse", because AI is proliferating at an "alarming rate and substantially outpacing legal oversight".

"AI-generated content should be transparently labelled as such so that the public may decide whether they listen to it or not," the message added.

Creators Become 'Collateral Damage'

Smith shared her label's statement on her personal social media profile.

The post cautioned that artists and songwriters were becoming "collateral damage in the race by governments and corporations towards AI dominance".

It further stated that the label would distribute any potential songwriting credits with the writers behind Smith's catalogue.

"If 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 assign every one of Jorja's collaborators with a corresponding share," it detailed.

The Continuing Growth of Computer-Generated Music

The proliferation 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 streams before disclosing they used AI to aid develop their musical style.
• Last month, an AI-generated "performer" known as Breaking Rust topped a US country sales chart, demonstrating that listeners are not always averse to hearing AI-made music.
• Suno was last year taken to court for copyright infringement by the industry's major biggest record labels, but those cases have now been resolved.

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 service.

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

Just last week, a collective of prominent musicians such as Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush released a vinyl album featuring silent songs or audio of empty studios in protest to proposed changes to copyright law.

They argue these amendments would make it simpler for AI companies to train systems using protected work without obtaining a permission.