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The record label representing Brit Award-winning artist Jorja Smith has declared its desire to claim a portion of royalties from a track it claims was produced using an AI "clone" of the performer's distinctive vocal style.

The track, titled 'I Run' by British dance act Haven, gained massive popularity on TikTok last October, in part due to its smooth R&B singing by an uncredited female vocalist.

Although its momentum and impending chart position in both UK and US, the song was subsequently removed by major music services after music bodies sent takedown requests, stating it violated intellectual property law by imitating another musician.

Even though 'I Run' has since been re-released with different vocals, Smith's label, FAMM, maintains it is convinced the original recording was made with AI programmed on her body of work and is now pursuing appropriate compensation.

A Broader Principle at Stake

"The situation isn't just about Jorja. This is bigger than a single performer or a single track," the label wrote in a recent announcement.

FAMM also stated its view that "each versions of the song violate the artist's rights and unjustly take advantage of the work of all the songwriters with whom she works."

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

Suggesting that her supporters were possibly misled by Haven's first release, the label added: "We cannot permit this to become the new normal."

Producers Admit Using AI Technology

The duo responsible for the song have openly confirmed using AI during its production process.

Producer Harrison Walker explained that the initial voice were in fact his own but were heavily manipulated using music-generation software Suno, sometimes called the "advanced tool for music".

Meanwhile, the other producer, Waypoint, identified as 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 song themselves and have even provided files of their source production sessions.

"This shouldn't be mystery that I used AI-assisted vocal processing to convert solely my voice for 'I Run'," Walker said.

"As a creator and maker, I enjoy using new tools, methods and staying on the cutting edge of industry trends," he continued.

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

Regulatory Uncertainty and Industry Implications

Although their original release of 'I Run' was suspended from official charts, the new version managed to enter the UK Top 40 last week.

FAMM has framed the incident as a critical test case for the entertainment sector's evolving relationship with artificial intelligence.

The label argued it had "a duty to speak up" and "stimulate wider discussion", because AI is proliferating at an "rapid rate and significantly exceeding regulation".

"Computer-created content should be clearly labelled as such so that the audience may decide whether they listen to it or not," the message added.

Artists as 'Collateral Victims'

Smith shared her label's statement on her own social media page.

The post warned that artists and songwriters were becoming "unintended casualties in the competition by policymakers and corporations towards AI supremacy".

It also noted that the label would distribute any awarded songwriting credits with the writers behind Smith's music.

"If we are able in proving that AI assisted to write the words and melody in 'I Run' and are granted a portion of the song, we would seek to allocate each of Jorja's collaborators with a pro-rata share," it explained.

The Ongoing Rise of Computer-Generated Music

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

• In the summer, the group Velvet Sundown gathered millions of streams before revealing they used AI to help craft their sound.
• Last month, an AI-generated "performer" known as Breaking Rust topped a US country sales chart, demonstrating that listeners are not always averse to hearing AI-made music.
• Suno was last year taken to court for alleged violations by the world's three largest record labels, though those legal actions have now been resolved.

Subsequently, Warner Music established a partnership with the company, which will enable users to generate songs using the vocal likenesses, names, and likenesses of Warner artists who opt in to the service.

However, it is unclear how many well-known musicians will consent to such applications of their work.

Recently, a group of renowned artists such as Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush issued a vinyl album containing silent songs or audio of empty studios in protest to proposed changes to intellectual property regulations.

They contend these amendments would make it easier for AI companies to develop models using copyrighted work without obtaining a permission.