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The record label representing Brit Award-winning singer Jorja Smith has stated its intention to receive a share of earnings from a song it asserts was produced using an AI "replica" of the performer's distinctive vocal style.

The song, titled 'I Run' by British dance act Haven, gained massive traction on social media in October, partly due to its polished soul vocals by an unnamed woman vocalist.

Despite its success and impending top 40 position in both UK and US, the track was later removed by major music services after music organizations sent copyright requests, stating it breached intellectual property law by impersonating another musician.

Although 'I Run' has since been reissued with different vocals, Smith's label, FAMM, insists it believes the original recording was generated with AI programmed on her body of recordings and is now pursuing financial compensation.

A Broader Principle at Stake

"This isn't just about one artist. This is larger than one artist or a single track," the label stated in a public statement.

FAMM further expressed its view that "each iterations of the track infringe on the artist's legal rights and unfairly take advantage of the work of all the writers with whom she collaborates."

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

Suggesting that her fans were potentially misled by Haven's first track, the label concluded: "We cannot allow this to be the standard practice."

Producers Acknowledge Using AI Tools

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

Songwriter Harrison Walker clarified that the original voice were in fact his own but were extensively altered using music-generation software Suno, sometimes called the "ChatGPT for music".

Meanwhile, the other producer, Waypoint, whose real name is Jacob Donaghue, stated on social media that AI was used to "apply our original vocal a female tone".

Donaghue and Walker assert that they composed and created the music themselves and have even provided evidence of their source production sessions.

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

"Being a creator and maker, I enjoy using innovative technologies, techniques and remaining on the forefront of industry trends," he added.

"To set the record straight, the people behind HAVEN are real and people, and all we want to do is make enjoyable music for other humans."

Regulatory Uncertainty and Broader Implications

Although their first release of 'I Run' was suspended from major rankings, the new version did enter the UK Top 40 recently.

FAMM has framed the entire episode as a critical precedent for the entertainment sector's changing interaction with AI.

The label argued it had "a duty to voice concerns" and "encourage wider discussion", because AI is proliferating at an "alarming rate and substantially outpacing regulation".

"Computer-created material should be clearly labelled as such so that the public may decide whether they listen to it or not," the message continued.

Creators Become 'Collateral Victims'

Smith shared her label's position on her own social media page.

The text cautioned that artists and songwriters were becoming "collateral damage in the competition by policymakers and tech firms towards AI dominance".

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

"Should we are successful in proving that AI assisted to write the lyrics and tune in 'I Run' and are awarded a share of the song, we would aim to allocate each of Jorja's co-writers with a corresponding share," it explained.

The Continuing Growth of Computer-Generated Music

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

• In the summer, the group Velvet Sundown accumulated millions of streams before disclosing they used AI to help craft their musical style.
• Last month, an AI-generated "artist" called Breaking Rust led a US country sales chart, demonstrating that listeners are not necessarily opposed to hearing AI-made music.
• Suno was previously sued for alleged violations by the industry's three largest record labels, though those cases have since been settled.

Subsequently, Warner Music entered into a collaboration with the firm, which will enable users to create songs using the vocal likenesses, names, and likenesses of Warner acts who opt in to the program.

However, it remains uncertain how a large number of established musicians will consent to such applications of their work.

Recently, a group of prominent artists such as Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush issued a vinyl album featuring silent songs or audio of quiet studios in protest to proposed changes to intellectual property regulations.

They contend these amendments would make it easier for AI companies to develop models using protected work without securing a license.