No kidding! Art and music are supposed express our feelings, often some of our deepest feelings. That disqualifies AI. Besides, who'd want to waste their time on it?
I have used much of my time and treasure following the best musicians in the world. Typically there are twenty to fifty in the audience. I don't see that AI will change this at all.
As far as I'm concerned USA popular music was a lost cause long before AI made the scene. When I lived in Michigan the city had an in-the-park concert series. Of ten concerts there were nine tribute bands and one cover band. (Tribute bands aim to copy some act exactly. Haircuts, clothes, etc. Some right handed guy went so far as to learn to play ebass left handed to emulate Paul McCartney.) I'm glad not every country is like this.
So true! But then again, you must remember most people have been trained to just follow, to flow on the surface of things, to be culture's dolts. And so many wannabe artists who now have just enough push to get their lazy ass off the couch for a second or two to "build" not create -- big diff. So with freedom, true personal freedom at such a low, the robotic voices have a chance. Oh yeah, and then there is the $$$ carrot. Oh well, there goes the neighborhood. I'm looking for a cave far away from everything, even these shadows.
I follow Duke Ellington. He said it if sounds good then it is good. Here's some AI music I like. Judge for yourself. I'm not going to deny myself this because of politics or philosophy. It's a lot better than today's industrial popular music.
As far as I'm concerned this is the best pop music of 2026 by a big margin. I will note that there is a key human element. The appeal comes from songwriter/musician Keodo48, who appears to be 77 years old. He/she would never be able to produce music like this without AI assistance. I doubt AI could write songs so well, but it has surprised me before.
I also note that pop music is already largely divorced from the artist. The income of musicians have been declining ever since hifi recording appeared in in about 1950. Big Money took over radio and got rid of the DJs. Drum machines came to be. MBAs and accountants took over the business. The appeal of music was analyzed scientifically, this producing disco and continuing to the present day. Little originality or inspiration is allowed to intrude. In contrast AI enabled Keodo48 to reach an audience, empowering him versus the for-profit music business.
On the other hand, I can't get interested in AI-assisted visual arts. The art site I used to visit sold out and AI took over. Everything now has the same plastic look with those fake too-beautiful people. I don't feel a thing. I completely lost interest.
Some people run away from human connection because of PTSD and toxic shame that has them terrified of people finding out that they're the bad person their mother (or father) convinced them they are. I'm talking about A LOT of people.
I agree that art is as much interpersonal as it is personal. Some ppl, some artists actually, don't believe that. I hold the belief that a work of art is born several times, the creator doesn't have final say on anything even if they think. Every single one of your subscribers reading this piece is creating their own experience out of it. Thank you for sharing it.
Caitlin & Tim, every time the subject of AI comes up, you seem to lose all your usual sharpness and shy away from much needed nuance in understanding human-AI interactions. It's frustrating to see you do that, because you're capable of so much better (and I've seen it, so I know).
Myself, I love playing classical piano. I get immense joy out of using my fingers, ears, and cognitive abilities to not only physically play but also create music on the piano. But I also love listening to recorded music and going to live concerts and symphonies. AND, I enjoy using AI to create variations of classical compositions, mix different genres into something unique/different, and produce AI music that offers a different listening experience than the normal ones.
My years of piano lessons/training shape all of it: they're what tell me which variations are worth keeping, which ones fall flat, and why. That is what makes the music mine, regardless of whether or not I use AI tools to help me in my music journey.
Listening to and experimenting with AI music ADDS to my experience and enjoyment of music - it does not take anything away from all that I love about music (or the humans that make/create/produce/mix/perform music).
One guy on Twitter hyping Suno is not a reason to write off everyone who touches this technology. Declaring "there's no such thing as AI music" isn't an argument either. It's a verdict you reached before you started writing. And comparing a song to being catfished doesn't work, because nobody who knowingly listens to an AI track is being fooled about anything.
You're usually so good at asking who owns something, who profits, and whose work got taken. I'd love to see that Caitlin write about AI. This one just felt like being lectured about what kind of person I must be.
I've also seen this pattern here of how "awful a person you must be if..." for the last couple of posts. Just lectures and an attitude of condescension of people and their lives. Not very empathetic, educational or uplifting, IMO. (But Lee Camp wrote something very interesting about AI today you might want to check out: https://realleecamp.substack.com/p/ai-execs-admit-to-the-largest-labor )
It's very true (from what I personally know about how the AI and tech industry works - as I'm embedded in it and have many friends in it too).
Basically, what these corporations have done is STEAL human labor from ALL of history (Marx would term this as 'dead labor'). Hence, the WHOLE AI Industry is built partly on theft (taking without compensation or attribution).
An analogy for this would be how Capitalism took over from feudalism. Capitalism privatized public land (and resources) and led to the displacement of people from their methods of income generation, thus leaving them with few options other than being wage slaves in the capitalist system.
Similarly, AI WILL cause many to lose their jobs and methods of income. What puzzles me - and I don't know why these corporations haven't thought about this - is that if people lose their source of incomes due to AI, then WHERE are people going to get the money from to purchase the products and services that these corporations are selling? If not enough people have the money to spend on these corporations, won't profits DECREASE? What happens then? So, I don't really understand what the GAME PLAN is of all these corporations that are using AI to reduce labor costs...
I can only surmise, but it seems the goal is the obsolescence of money since the establishment of power hierarchies will be in place which ensures the position of the TechnoLords in the overarching scheme of existence. Since the same philosophy of being also assumes prefect control of human function including life everlasting, money is unnecessary. Of course the TechnoLords are the Kings… or Queens maybe.
I honestly think the Tech Bros don't care if there's anyone left to buy their AI services... I think they're building them simply for their use and pleasure. The rest of us will be without paying work and simply starve. No more problem of selling anything anymore--the Tech Bros/oligarchs/billionaires will just enjoy themselves and be taken care of physically by their AI run robots and drones. That's their plan in a nutshell. It's why we must lock them all up immediately. It's for the good of humanity.
أحسنت النشر والقول – سلام غزة و القدس عليكم - العزة والنصر حليف محورالمقاومة وحلفاءها والذلة والعار لمحور الشر وجماعة أبستين (امريكا و بريطانيا وفرنسا وتركيا والسعودية وقطر والامارات و دول الناتو والنازية الجديدة والماسونية والصهيونية و أسرائيل) وحلفاءه
With AI we simply won't have any new art, because AI will put the human creators of music, prose, artwork, etc. out of business. AI is literally eating up the internet as I type this line as it steals everything ever put online. Humankind can't afford AI because it will starve artists and leave nothing for AI to steal. A losing proposition all around.
So true. It would be nice if the creators could be compensated but that seems impractical. Too bad.
It seems inevitable that AI will make people stupid and ignorant. Just like machines made people weak. I read about 1817 and what people could do then seems almost impossible today. But not everybody. There will always be people around who want to understand things.
This has been going on for a long time. A fourth grade textbook from 1890 is about like a 12th grade textbook today. My uncle taught in a junior college in the 90's and he had a student who could read but not write. Recently I heard a middle school band teacher say half of her students didn't know the alphabet. Is that really true?
Don't just give in and say everyone will make be "stupid" and it's "too bad." Fight back! That's one thing that AI doesn't have--the human will and the power to stand up and fight for what is right and just.
Well, I shouldn’t be surprised. The further debasement of music is yet another example of the corrosive influence of capitalism on popular culture. I believe popular culture reflects rather than leads society. The state of popular culture, at least in the degenerate West, is horrifying. Kardashianization, Taylor Swift and “Superhero” movies are hardly indicative of an enlightened populace. To be fair, ameriKKKa leads in the production of said garbage. There is hope. Coming to terms with the reality of the Zionist entity and its 80 year genocide of the Palestinians, apparent rejection of the MAGA freaks and a nascent anti war movement are hopeful signs. Time grows short. Worldwide general strikes remain our only choice.
No kidding! Art and music are supposed express our feelings, often some of our deepest feelings. That disqualifies AI. Besides, who'd want to waste their time on it?
How much do AI girlfriends complain about your computer gaming? Do they get jealous? Asking for a friend.
If everything becomes AI driven, we risk losing the variety that exists in the world. That would mean losing a lot of art and music.
I have used much of my time and treasure following the best musicians in the world. Typically there are twenty to fifty in the audience. I don't see that AI will change this at all.
As far as I'm concerned USA popular music was a lost cause long before AI made the scene. When I lived in Michigan the city had an in-the-park concert series. Of ten concerts there were nine tribute bands and one cover band. (Tribute bands aim to copy some act exactly. Haircuts, clothes, etc. Some right handed guy went so far as to learn to play ebass left handed to emulate Paul McCartney.) I'm glad not every country is like this.
So true! But then again, you must remember most people have been trained to just follow, to flow on the surface of things, to be culture's dolts. And so many wannabe artists who now have just enough push to get their lazy ass off the couch for a second or two to "build" not create -- big diff. So with freedom, true personal freedom at such a low, the robotic voices have a chance. Oh yeah, and then there is the $$$ carrot. Oh well, there goes the neighborhood. I'm looking for a cave far away from everything, even these shadows.
I follow Duke Ellington. He said it if sounds good then it is good. Here's some AI music I like. Judge for yourself. I'm not going to deny myself this because of politics or philosophy. It's a lot better than today's industrial popular music.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1anEApaI4Oc&list=PLBdQsB1FgRvI
As far as I'm concerned this is the best pop music of 2026 by a big margin. I will note that there is a key human element. The appeal comes from songwriter/musician Keodo48, who appears to be 77 years old. He/she would never be able to produce music like this without AI assistance. I doubt AI could write songs so well, but it has surprised me before.
I also note that pop music is already largely divorced from the artist. The income of musicians have been declining ever since hifi recording appeared in in about 1950. Big Money took over radio and got rid of the DJs. Drum machines came to be. MBAs and accountants took over the business. The appeal of music was analyzed scientifically, this producing disco and continuing to the present day. Little originality or inspiration is allowed to intrude. In contrast AI enabled Keodo48 to reach an audience, empowering him versus the for-profit music business.
On the other hand, I can't get interested in AI-assisted visual arts. The art site I used to visit sold out and AI took over. Everything now has the same plastic look with those fake too-beautiful people. I don't feel a thing. I completely lost interest.
Some people run away from human connection because of PTSD and toxic shame that has them terrified of people finding out that they're the bad person their mother (or father) convinced them they are. I'm talking about A LOT of people.
I agree that art is as much interpersonal as it is personal. Some ppl, some artists actually, don't believe that. I hold the belief that a work of art is born several times, the creator doesn't have final say on anything even if they think. Every single one of your subscribers reading this piece is creating their own experience out of it. Thank you for sharing it.
Caitlin & Tim, every time the subject of AI comes up, you seem to lose all your usual sharpness and shy away from much needed nuance in understanding human-AI interactions. It's frustrating to see you do that, because you're capable of so much better (and I've seen it, so I know).
Myself, I love playing classical piano. I get immense joy out of using my fingers, ears, and cognitive abilities to not only physically play but also create music on the piano. But I also love listening to recorded music and going to live concerts and symphonies. AND, I enjoy using AI to create variations of classical compositions, mix different genres into something unique/different, and produce AI music that offers a different listening experience than the normal ones.
My years of piano lessons/training shape all of it: they're what tell me which variations are worth keeping, which ones fall flat, and why. That is what makes the music mine, regardless of whether or not I use AI tools to help me in my music journey.
Listening to and experimenting with AI music ADDS to my experience and enjoyment of music - it does not take anything away from all that I love about music (or the humans that make/create/produce/mix/perform music).
One guy on Twitter hyping Suno is not a reason to write off everyone who touches this technology. Declaring "there's no such thing as AI music" isn't an argument either. It's a verdict you reached before you started writing. And comparing a song to being catfished doesn't work, because nobody who knowingly listens to an AI track is being fooled about anything.
You're usually so good at asking who owns something, who profits, and whose work got taken. I'd love to see that Caitlin write about AI. This one just felt like being lectured about what kind of person I must be.
I've also seen this pattern here of how "awful a person you must be if..." for the last couple of posts. Just lectures and an attitude of condescension of people and their lives. Not very empathetic, educational or uplifting, IMO. (But Lee Camp wrote something very interesting about AI today you might want to check out: https://realleecamp.substack.com/p/ai-execs-admit-to-the-largest-labor )
It's very true (from what I personally know about how the AI and tech industry works - as I'm embedded in it and have many friends in it too).
Basically, what these corporations have done is STEAL human labor from ALL of history (Marx would term this as 'dead labor'). Hence, the WHOLE AI Industry is built partly on theft (taking without compensation or attribution).
An analogy for this would be how Capitalism took over from feudalism. Capitalism privatized public land (and resources) and led to the displacement of people from their methods of income generation, thus leaving them with few options other than being wage slaves in the capitalist system.
Similarly, AI WILL cause many to lose their jobs and methods of income. What puzzles me - and I don't know why these corporations haven't thought about this - is that if people lose their source of incomes due to AI, then WHERE are people going to get the money from to purchase the products and services that these corporations are selling? If not enough people have the money to spend on these corporations, won't profits DECREASE? What happens then? So, I don't really understand what the GAME PLAN is of all these corporations that are using AI to reduce labor costs...
I can only surmise, but it seems the goal is the obsolescence of money since the establishment of power hierarchies will be in place which ensures the position of the TechnoLords in the overarching scheme of existence. Since the same philosophy of being also assumes prefect control of human function including life everlasting, money is unnecessary. Of course the TechnoLords are the Kings… or Queens maybe.
I honestly think the Tech Bros don't care if there's anyone left to buy their AI services... I think they're building them simply for their use and pleasure. The rest of us will be without paying work and simply starve. No more problem of selling anything anymore--the Tech Bros/oligarchs/billionaires will just enjoy themselves and be taken care of physically by their AI run robots and drones. That's their plan in a nutshell. It's why we must lock them all up immediately. It's for the good of humanity.
>>"t's why we must lock them all up immediately. It's for the good of humanity"
It's nice of you to be so polite and kind. I was thinking more along the lines of removal from planet Earth...
Im not gonna lie an AI GF would be 1000% more pleasant than a gloria steinham indoctrinated human GF that puts me in jail for shit i didnt do (again)
More to a girlfriend than simple pleasure so who is it exactly that is indoctrinated?
100% agree.
أحسنت النشر والقول – سلام غزة و القدس عليكم - العزة والنصر حليف محورالمقاومة وحلفاءها والذلة والعار لمحور الشر وجماعة أبستين (امريكا و بريطانيا وفرنسا وتركيا والسعودية وقطر والامارات و دول الناتو والنازية الجديدة والماسونية والصهيونية و أسرائيل) وحلفاءه
Well said, Friend.
Lee Camp reveals the real problem behind AI in his latest: https://realleecamp.substack.com/p/ai-execs-admit-to-the-largest-labor
With AI we simply won't have any new art, because AI will put the human creators of music, prose, artwork, etc. out of business. AI is literally eating up the internet as I type this line as it steals everything ever put online. Humankind can't afford AI because it will starve artists and leave nothing for AI to steal. A losing proposition all around.
So true. It would be nice if the creators could be compensated but that seems impractical. Too bad.
It seems inevitable that AI will make people stupid and ignorant. Just like machines made people weak. I read about 1817 and what people could do then seems almost impossible today. But not everybody. There will always be people around who want to understand things.
This has been going on for a long time. A fourth grade textbook from 1890 is about like a 12th grade textbook today. My uncle taught in a junior college in the 90's and he had a student who could read but not write. Recently I heard a middle school band teacher say half of her students didn't know the alphabet. Is that really true?
Don't just give in and say everyone will make be "stupid" and it's "too bad." Fight back! That's one thing that AI doesn't have--the human will and the power to stand up and fight for what is right and just.
Half the people are below average. That is a law of the universe. And that is a LOT of people.
Law of the universe. Where did these laws of the universe come from?
https://substack.com/@mutualreceptionastrology/note/c-308779875?r=82ea9&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
Some of us just enjoy fun.
Todd Rundgren:
"I have yet to be convinced by any song that AI has come up with.
Everything sounds like Taylor ...... Swift!"
https://tinyurl.com/3k3uxhjt
There’s AI music ? The horror !
Well, I shouldn’t be surprised. The further debasement of music is yet another example of the corrosive influence of capitalism on popular culture. I believe popular culture reflects rather than leads society. The state of popular culture, at least in the degenerate West, is horrifying. Kardashianization, Taylor Swift and “Superhero” movies are hardly indicative of an enlightened populace. To be fair, ameriKKKa leads in the production of said garbage. There is hope. Coming to terms with the reality of the Zionist entity and its 80 year genocide of the Palestinians, apparent rejection of the MAGA freaks and a nascent anti war movement are hopeful signs. Time grows short. Worldwide general strikes remain our only choice.
Whose streets ?
Our streets !