Vocalist AI Launches Voice Cloning Platform That Compensates Musicians
- Michele
- 16 April 2024, Tuesday
Voice cloning tools are becoming increasingly popular and contested. Now, Vocalist AI has launched its platform, thanks to which users can completely transform their own voices into professional-sounding ones. Experienced musicians whose voices are used by others are compensated for their contributions – a positive development in the world of voice cloning.
Music industry vs. AI voice cloning
Cloning and repurposing voices with AI tools is a highly contested practice that has faced much backlash from the music industry. Not too long ago, the UK-based voice cloning service Jammable was confronted by the British recorded music industry's Trade Association BPI and officially asked to remove the voices of various famous artists from its services. Meanwhile, some places in the world have begun to introduce new laws to regulate AI in music and beyond.
But what is the issue with AI? A key concern in the music industry is who gets paid for what and how much money they receive. Artists are facing monetary challenges by getting underpaid while spending more and more on equipment, marketing, subscriptions, and necessities.
In an unstable industry, AI only further complicates the already difficult situation. An increasingly common scenario is that musicians suddenly discover new, AI-generated songs that contain their very own voices. Yet, when it comes to compensation, they do not get a single penny. Nonetheless, developers continue to launch and introduce new, disruptive tools, ignoring the concerns voiced by experts.
Vocalist AI compensates for voice cloning
Now, the music industry meets another tool on the market: the beta version of Vocalist AI. This platform allows musicians to transform their regular voices into professional ones. Vocalist AI’s catalog contains the voices of artists who have worked with globally renowned industry professionals, including Beyoncé and Celine Dion. Musicians simply need to record their lyrics on their phones, run them through the machine, and get a professional version back.
Yet, contrary to many other AI tools, Vocalist AI aims to keep things fair. For this reason, singers who have given their voices to the platform for public use are usually compensated. The team behind Vocalist AI says they are “committed to approaching AI from an ethical standpoint. The diverse selection of artists featured on the platform share in our subscription revenues whenever their voices are used, allowing creatives to use the results royalty-free.” How much they get paid for their contributions is unclear.
