Google and YouTube have recently unveiled a new set of music tools labeled ‘Music AI Sandbox.’ Rapper/producer Wyclef Jean, songwriter Justin Tranter, and electronica creator Marc Rebillet all joined to support the launch of the new initiative.
Tools to streamline and power up the creative process
The ‘Music AI Sandbox’ was introduced alongside a blog article and an engaging promotional YouTube video. In the blog, Google presents its new product as a set of tools that 'open a new playground for creativity,' enabling users to craft new instrumental sections from scratch, transform sound in unprecedented ways, and much more. The product promises a transformative experience for music enthusiasts and professionals alike.
The promotional YouTube video showcases three individual clips of music creators — Wyclef Jean, Justin Tranter, and Marc Rebillet — displaying them in the middle of their creative process. Each artist interacts with the new Google tools to work on their distinct tracks.
The video shows an interactive screen that allows users to create music clips with inputs in text prompt fields collectively labeled ‘describe your track.’ Users can state what the song should include and what sounds they don’t want. Additionally, they can outline what lyrics they would like the track to comprise.
The technology behind ‘AI Music Sandbox’ was developed by Google DeepMind — an AI development lab owned by Google — in collaboration with YouTube. The video platform has previously signed a partnership with Universal Music Group to launch another AI-driven product, ‘Music AI Incubator,’ which consists of tools providing music creators and rights holders with “safe, responsible and profitable” opportunities.
So far, Google hasn’t provided real insights into how the new tools were trained but indicated that their “most advanced music generation model,” Lyria, was responsible for it. It is also likely that the product’s current name, ‘AI Music Sandbox,’ will change in time, as ‘sandbox’ traditionally refers to a program currently isolated in a testing environment.
Tools for collaborations, not human replacement
Google has been cautious about promoting its work, stressing that its technology aims to help artists and music makers, not replace them. However, the company’s true intentions have long been questioned, with many examples fueling doubts among the public.
Earlier this year, a Billboard article alleged that Google has been training its AI technology on copyrighted materials without prior permission. Additionally, many of its tools have been trained to perform their tasks just like humans, if not better.
For instance, the video-generating tool ‘Veo’ can create “high-quality 1080p resolution videos in a wide range of cinematic and visual styles” while understanding terms like “aerial shots of landscape” or “timelapse.”
Another tool, ‘Imagen 3,’ claims to be the best text-to-image generator to date. It can better understand natural language and the intent behind one’s prompt and insert small details from longer prompts.
If they reach the level of perfection, both tools can easily replace human creativity and, as a result, potentially put people out of work.
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