AR Rahman defends his decision to use AI (Artificial Intelligence) to recreate late singers’ voices. For Rajinikanth’s film “Lal Salaam,” Rahman used AI to create the voices of Bamba Bakya and Shahul Hameed.
The song “Thimiri Yezhuda” received a lot of flak from fans of Rahman and the two late singers. Responding to criticism, the maestro said earlier that he acquired permission from their families, and now he defends it again.
AI Is a Tool to Speed up Things
In many sectors, even the creative field will be disrupted by AI. Art, film, and now, music are the latest targets of AI use. Creating new music is one thing but when you use it for late singers’ voices, it can draw contempt.
Especially for someone like AR Rahman, who publicly criticised remixes of his old numbers, like “Masakali” and “Humma Humma,” it is not ideal. Besides, when this news came out in January, anger erupted across social media. However, the musician later posted a clarification that the families permitted him to do it.
Not only that, their team also paid the families a good remuneration for the song in the Rajinikanth movie. Rahman posted on X about the same, “We took permission from their families and sent deserving remuneration for using their voice algorithms.” He also insisted that technology is not a threat and a nuisance if we use it right.
The Oscar-winning composer hoped that the use of AI could be ‘uplifting’ for music. At the Malayalam survival drama “The Goat Life” audio launch event this week, AR Rahman answered a few questions.
“We should use it in a way where we fill the void of things that need time. Even with art, if you are producing something, imagining the journey is so easy now and one can take it to a different level,” he said.
AR Rahman Promotes Careful AI Use
“I feel with AI, all the generational curses we have can be eradicated, and we can uplift the poor and educate and nurture leaders in the field of art and science.” With such tools, it also gets easier to study and learn things in a shorter time. However, the composer adds that we need to be very careful when using AI.
Rahman added, “We need to use it as a tool to step up and speed up things and not fire people.” By being cautious, we can use these new technologies to our advantage. We can improve people’s lives “as leaders and employers.”
‘Go Listen to Existing Songs’ Say Netizens
Meanwhile, this new statement evokes laughs from fans. Some also say that this trend of AI-generated voice sets a dangerous precedent. Users wrote, “No, this only creates zero opportunities for other singers to have a chance at singing. This further leaves room for AI to take over. I don’t understand why he’s unable to get this.”
“If we want nostalgia, we would go and listen to their existing songs, not make some AI-assisted stuff,” posted another user.
This post is about the “nostalgia” and “respect” hashtags that AR Rahman used for the old tweet. Both singers delivered chart-topping hits with AR Rahman. Bamba Bakya died in 2022 of a cardiac arrest, while Shahul Hameed had a trgic car crash in 1997.