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This and many other questions were explored last week at Music Estonia’s two-day event series, “AI in the Creative Process.” Creativity and technology have always gone hand in hand, offering creators ever new possibilities. Now, artificial intelligence has entered the game, offering even more opportunities for creating music, visuals, and text.

The event series was aimed at artists, producers, composers, and songwriters, as well as students in the creative fields who wanted to get a closer look at various AI tools and their capabilities.

First, interested participants got to try their hand at a practical workshop where they were introduced to several AI tools and their creative uses. The workshop was led by Tabasco’s creative director Alvar Lonks, composer, producer, and DJ Sander Mölder, songwriter and producer Gevin Niglas, and joining via video link was film composer and SUNO product manager Henry Phipps.

While AI-based environments like ChatGPT and MidJourney may sound familiar to many, the list of AI tools is actually much longer, including Suno, Udio, Elevenlabs, Audimee, DynAssist, Runway, Nano Banana, and many others. For instance, Gevin Niglas demonstrated how he used AI to incorporate fragments from an old recording into a song. Alvar Lonks showed how he created a visually captivating advertisement with the help of artificial intelligence and the different versions AI offered. The possibilities are therefore endless, from generating lyrics to providing feedback and suggesting improvements for a track.

Although many processes can be automated with artificial intelligence, it was acknowledged in the workshop that the workload does not directly decrease, and AI does not yet make life significantly easier. Typically, several versions are born with artificial intelligence, and the generated content needs to be improved and guided. Nevertheless, many AI tools are well-suited for both the idea phase and the execution. For example, artificial intelligence can offer new and interesting sounds (e.g., imitating the sound of an instrument that is not currently available) and provide different versions of effects.

“Artificial intelligence is just another new tool that we can use to bring our creativity to life,” stated Sander Mölder. Thus, the rise of artificial intelligence can be compared to many other technological achievements, whether it be the transition from vinyl to CD or the emergence of streaming platforms.

During the workshop, participants also got to get their hands dirty and experiment with using the AI-based music platform SUNO. They were given free rein and a snippet from composer Vivaldi’s “Spring.” The task was to create a new, pleasing version of the famous piece using AI. Although there is a general perception that artificial intelligence offers rather generic solutions, to the surprise of the participants, all the versions of “Spring” were completely unique and had an original approach. In other words, the experiment was an exciting way to test the creative limits of artificial intelligence.

Does artificial intelligence take away the joy of creation?

The practical workshop was followed by a discussion seminar where Alvar Lonks, Sander Mölder, Gevin Niglas, and musician and DJ Maris Pihlap discussed the broader opportunities that AI offers musicians. The conversation was moderated by Müürileht’s music editor, DJ, and historian Mark Aleksander Ummelas, with a video commentary also provided by SUNO product manager Henry Phipps.

All panelists admitted to having used artificial intelligence in their work to a lesser or greater extent. Alvar Lonks, who does not deal with music production on a daily basis, sees himself more in the role of a client when using AI. “When you write a song about an orange with Suno, it’s not directly a producer. It’s a bank that creatively puts together some kind of result,” Lonks explained.

A recurring theme in both the workshop and the seminar was the issue of copyright. Who retains the authorship? Is the legal author of the work the artificial intelligence or the person who gives the AI the task? It is difficult to give a single answer to these questions, and the regulatory boundaries remain vague. However, the speakers almost unanimously agreed that it is not yet technologically possible for artificial intelligence to write a song completely independently. Behind a work created with AI, there must always be a person who has come up with the initial idea and direction.

But will artificial intelligence eliminate the joy of creation and the human touch? Could a wedding have an AI-generated playlist instead of a DJ, compiling statistically the most popular dance songs based on the couple’s preferences? The panelists agreed that artificial intelligence actually increases the value of human contact and live performances. Music and creativity are still closely linked to emotion, and the rise of AI will not diminish people’s desire for experiences. Maris Pihlap also added another perspective: “If I, as a musician, can hand over my accounting to, for example, artificial intelligence, then I have more time to create.” Therefore, artificial intelligence may not take away a musician’s job, but rather offer opportunities to make work processes more efficient and allow more time for creativity.

In conclusion, both the workshop and the seminar reached a common understanding: despite the growing capabilities of AI, the human factor is and will remain central in music and the entire creative sector. A thought also emerged from the audience that AI is, after all, just a tool, and the responsibility for its use lies with the creator.

The event series “AI in the Creative Process” was held in cooperation with the Tallinn Business Incubators and was supported by the UNESCO City of Music Tallinn.