AI beats human in songwriting showdown
- An AI trained on Yasushi Akimoto's lyrics created a new single for AKB48.
- The AI song won more fan votes than the song written by Akimoto himself.
- The result indicates a potential shift in the acceptance of AI in music creation.
In Japan, top girl band AKB48 has released a new single created by artificial intelligence after it garnered more popularity among fans than a rival song from renowned producer Yasushi Akimoto. The competition took place during a Nippon TV special where the AI, trained on Akimoto's body of work, produced a techno-pop track about heartbreak in the smartphone era named 'Omoide Scroll' or 'Memory Scroll.' This AI-generated song won 14,225 votes from fans, significantly outpacing Akimoto's entry, 'Cecil,' which received 10,535 votes. The outcome raises questions about the future of music and the role of AI in creative processes. Following the voting, despite his disappointment, Akimoto expressed openness to future collaboration or inspiration from AI, indicating a potential shift in how music will be created and appreciated moving forward. Many fans are enthusiastic about the AI's capabilities and creativity, believing that this new direction might better resonate with contemporary listeners, emphasizing the potential of AI in transforming the creative arts.