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The record label representing award-winning artist Jorja Smith has stated its intention to receive a portion of earnings from a track it claims was produced using an artificial intelligence "clone" of the performer's distinctive vocal style.

The song, titled 'I Run' by UK dance act Haven, achieved massive traction on social media last October, partly due to its smooth soul singing by an uncredited woman vocalist.

Despite its success and impending top 40 entry in both UK and US, the track was subsequently removed by leading streaming platforms after industry bodies issued copyright requests, alleging it violated copyright by imitating another musician.

Although 'I Run' has since been re-released with different vocals, Smith's label, FAMM, insists it believes the original recording was generated with AI programmed on her extensive work and is now pursuing appropriate compensation.

A Larger Issue at Stake

"The situation isn't just about one artist. This is bigger than a single performer or one song," the label stated in a public announcement.

FAMM further expressed its belief that "both versions of the song infringe on Jorja's rights and unjustly benefit from the work of all the writers with whom she collaborates."

Famous for songs like 'Be Honest' and 'Little Things', Smith was crowned British Female Solo Artist at the annual Brit Awards in 2019.

Suggesting that her supporters were potentially deceived by Haven's original track, the label added: "Our industry must not allow this to be the standard practice."

Producers Admit Using AI Tools

The team responsible for the track have openly confirmed utilizing AI during its production process.

Songwriter Harrison Walker clarified that the original vocals were in fact his own but were extensively manipulated using AI music platform Suno, often referred to as the "ChatGPT for music".

Meanwhile, the other member, Waypoint, whose real name is Jacob Donaghue, stated on his accounts that AI was used to "apply our original vocal a feminine quality".

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

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

"As a songwriter and maker, I like experimenting with new tools, techniques and remaining on the forefront of industry trends," he added.

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

Legal Gray Areas and Broader Implications

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

FAMM has positioned the incident as a critical test case for the music industry's changing relationship with artificial intelligence.

The label stated it had "an obligation to speak up" and "encourage wider discussion", because AI is proliferating at an "rapid rate and significantly exceeding legal oversight".

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

Artists as 'Unintended Victims'

Smith endorsed her label's statement on her own social media profile.

The post warned that musicians and songwriters were turning into "collateral damage in the competition by governments and tech firms towards AI dominance".

It further stated that the label would share any potential royalties with the writers behind Smith's catalogue.

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

The Ongoing Rise of AI Music

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

• In the summer, the group Velvet Sundown accumulated vast numbers of streams before disclosing they used AI to help develop their musical style.
• Last month, an AI-generated "performer" known as Breaking Rust led a US country sales chart, demonstrating that listeners are not always averse to hearing computer-generated music.
• Suno was previously sued for alleged violations by the industry's major biggest record labels, though those cases have since been settled.

Subsequently, Warner Music established a partnership with the firm, which will allow users to create songs using the voices, names, and likenesses of Warner artists who agree to the service.

However, it remains unclear how many established artists will consent to such uses of their identity.

Recently, a collective of renowned musicians such as Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush issued a vinyl album featuring silent songs or audio of empty studios in protest to potential changes to copyright law.

They argue these changes would make it easier for AI companies to train models using copyrighted work without securing a license.