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The music company representing Brit Award-winning artist Jorja Smith has declared its intention to claim a share of earnings from a song it claims was produced using an artificial intelligence "clone" of the performer's distinctive vocal style.

The track, titled 'I Run' by British electronic duo Haven, gained widespread traction on social media in October, partly due to its smooth R&B singing by an uncredited woman vocalist.

Despite its success and potential chart position in the UK and US, the track was later banned by leading streaming platforms after industry bodies sent takedown requests, alleging it breached intellectual property law by imitating another artist.

Even though 'I Run' has since been reissued with completely new singing, Smith's label, FAMM, maintains it believes the initial version was generated with AI programmed on her body of work and is now seeking financial redress.

A Larger Issue at Stake

"The situation is not only about Jorja. This is bigger than a single performer or one song," the label wrote in a recent announcement.

FAMM also stated its view that "both iterations of the song violate Jorja's rights and unfairly benefit from the creative output of all the songwriters with whom she collaborates."

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

Implying that her supporters were potentially deceived by Haven's original release, the label added: "Our industry cannot allow this to be the standard practice."

Creators Acknowledge Using AI Technology

The duo behind the track have openly confirmed using AI during its production process.

Producer Harrison Walker clarified that the initial voice were actually his own but were extensively manipulated using AI music software Suno, often referred to as the "ChatGPT for music".

In addition, the other producer, Waypoint, whose real name is Jacob Donaghue, confirmed on social media that AI was used to "give our starting vocal a feminine quality".

Donaghue and Walker maintain that they composed and created the song themselves and have even provided evidence of their source computer files.

"This is no mystery that I used AI-assisted vocal processing to transform solely my voice for 'I Run'," Walker elaborated.

"As a songwriter and producer, I enjoy using new tools, methods and staying on the cutting edge of industry trends," he added.

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

Regulatory Gray Areas and Broader Impact

While their original version of 'I Run' was blocked from major rankings, the replacement recording did enter the UK Top 40 last week.

FAMM has framed the entire episode as a significant test case for the music industry's changing interaction with artificial intelligence.

The label argued it had "an obligation to voice concerns" and "encourage public discourse", because AI is proliferating at an "alarming rate and significantly outpacing regulation".

"Computer-created material should be transparently labelled as such so that the audience may decide whether they consume it or not," the statement continued.

Artists as 'Collateral Victims'

Smith endorsed her label's statement on her own Instagram page.

The text cautioned that musicians and songwriters were becoming "collateral damage in the race by governments and corporations towards AI supremacy".

It further stated that the label would distribute any potential songwriting credits with the writers behind Smith's music.

"If we are successful in establishing that AI assisted to compose the lyrics and tune in 'I Run' and are awarded a share of the song, we would aim to allocate every one of Jorja's co-writers with a corresponding share," it detailed.

The Ongoing Rise of AI Music

The emergence of algorithmically created music has been a topic of both fascination and consternation for the music industry.

• In June, the group Velvet Sundown accumulated vast numbers of plays before revealing they used AI to help develop their musical style.
• Recently, an AI-generated "artist" called Breaking Rust topped a US country sales chart, demonstrating that listeners are not necessarily opposed to consuming computer-generated music.
• Suno was previously sued for alleged violations by the industry's major biggest record labels, but those cases have now been resolved.

Subsequently, Warner Music established a collaboration with the firm, which will allow users to generate songs using the vocal likenesses, names, and likenesses of Warner artists who opt in to the program.

Yet, it is uncertain how a large number of established musicians will consent to such uses of their identity.

Recently, a group of prominent musicians including Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush issued a vinyl album featuring silent songs or recordings of quiet studios in protest to potential revisions to copyright law.

They argue these amendments would make it easier for AI companies to develop systems using copyrighted work without obtaining a license.