Many in favour of AI being used to create new work from musicians who have died

More than half of UK adults are in favour of artificial intelligence (AI) being used to create new music from musicians who have died, such as John Lennon, Elvis Presley and Freddie Mercury, research has found.

The findings from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) reveal that 58% of UK adults like the idea of AI creating new music from some of the great composers and performers of the past, with Michael Jackson being the most popular choice, followed by Queen frontman Mercury, and then Bob Marley.

With thousands of AI-generated tracks appearing daily on streaming sites, and controversy over if and how artists can receive royalties for music used or copied by AI, the RPO surveyed 2,000 UK adults on their thoughts about AI and music.

Although most suggested musicians from the world of pop music, many also liked the idea of AI creating new material for other genres including orchestral and jazz – with Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Louis Armstrong and Glenn Miller all highlighted.

However, more than half (56%) of those questioned also think that AI could result in a lack of creative innovation in music, with only one in five (21%) believing it would increase innovation.

Also, there were differing opinions with regards to the future of live music, with more than three-quarters (78%) believing AI would not be able to touch human creativity when it came to live music performances.

Huw Davies, deputy managing director at the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, said: “For decades, technology has been an important tool for musicians. Without it we wouldn’t have had the recorded music era on vinyl and CD.

“And more recently, the internet, social media and streaming sites have done so much to open up access to music, its discovery and enjoyment.

“The early results from our new UK data suggests there are polarised consumer opinions on AI’s growing involvement with music as a creative art form.

“Some people support it, others dislike anything that challenges the integrity of human creativity.

“It is reassuring that three-quarters of people see the magic of live music events as something where human creativity cannot be challenged, although if people lose jobs to AI in the future, the performing arts may have new challenges when it comes to filling concert halls.

“As with all forms of technology, we need to embrace change and innovation, but we also need to think early about the possible consequences, and let these guide us when it comes to our terms of engagement with AI.”

The initial findings are from a more detailed report by the RPO, which is due to be released at the end of January.

The RPO was founded in London in 1946 and performs around 200 concerts a year worldwide.