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The record label representing award-winning artist Jorja Smith has declared its intention to claim a share of royalties from a track it claims was created using an artificial intelligence "replica" of the performer's unique voice.

The song, titled 'I Run' by UK electronic duo Haven, gained massive popularity on TikTok last October, in part due to its smooth soul singing by an uncredited female singer.

Although its success and impending top 40 entry in both UK and US, the song was later banned by major music services after music organizations issued copyright notices, alleging it violated intellectual property law by imitating another artist.

Although 'I Run' has since been re-released with completely new singing, Smith's label, FAMM, maintains it is convinced the initial version was generated with AI trained on her extensive recordings and is now seeking financial compensation.

A Larger Issue in Play

"This is not only about Jorja. It's larger than a single performer or a single track," the label stated in a recent statement.

FAMM further expressed its belief that "both versions of the track violate the artist's rights and unfairly take advantage of the creative output of all the writers with whom she collaborates."

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

Implying that her fans were potentially misled by Haven's original release, the label added: "Our industry cannot allow this to become the new normal."

Creators Admit Using AI Technology

The duo behind the track have publicly admitted utilizing AI during its production process.

Songwriter Harrison Walker explained that the initial voice were actually his own but were extensively altered using music-generation software Suno, often referred to as the "advanced tool for music".

In addition, the other producer, Waypoint, identified as Jacob Donaghue, confirmed on social media that AI was used to "apply our original vocal a female tone".

Donaghue and Walker assert that they composed and created the music themselves and have even shared evidence of their original computer files.

"This is no secret that I used AI-assisted vocal editing to convert exclusively my voice for 'I Run'," Walker elaborated.

"Being a songwriter and maker, I enjoy experimenting with new tools, techniques and remaining on the forefront of what's happening," he added.

"To set the facts clear, the artists behind HAVEN are real and human, and all we aim to do is make enjoyable music for fellow humans."

Regulatory Uncertainty and Industry Implications

Although their first version of 'I Run' was blocked from official charts, the replacement version did break into the UK Top 40 recently.

FAMM has positioned the incident as a significant precedent for the music industry's changing interaction with artificial intelligence.

The label argued it had "a duty to speak up" and "stimulate public discourse", because AI is advancing at an "alarming rate and significantly outpacing legal oversight".

"AI-generated material should be clearly identified as such so that the audience may choose whether they consume it or not," the message continued.

Artists as 'Collateral Damage'

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

The text cautioned that artists and songwriters were turning into "unintended casualties in the competition by governments and corporations towards AI dominance".

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

"If we are able in establishing that AI helped to write the lyrics and tune in 'I Run' and are granted a share of the song, we would aim to allocate each of Jorja's collaborators with a corresponding share," it explained.

The Continuing Growth 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 gathered millions of streams before revealing they used AI to help develop their sound.
• Last month, an AI-generated "artist" known as Breaking Rust led a US country digital song sales chart, showing that listeners are not always opposed to hearing AI-made music.
• Suno was last year taken to court for alleged violations by the world's major biggest record labels, but those legal actions have since been settled.

Subsequently, Warner Music entered into a collaboration with the company, which will allow users to create songs using the vocal likenesses, names, and likenesses of Warner acts who opt in to the program.

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

Just last week, a collective of prominent artists including Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush released a vinyl album containing tracks of silence or recordings of quiet studios in protest to proposed changes to copyright law.

They contend these changes would make it simpler for AI companies to train models using protected work without securing a permission.