'Nothing to fear': Shankar Mahadevan on AI's impact on music
What's the story
Illustrious composer Shankar Mahadevan recently used artificial intelligence (AI) to compose a new track, Rubaroo.
The song's composition process was highlighted at Google's annual I/O developer conference in California.
The veteran, who composed the track at his Mumbai studio on Sandbox, said it was an opportunity to blend a beautiful Sufi melody with a contemporary track.
AI and music
Mahadevan believes AI will not replace musicians
Mahadevan, a Grammy-winning musician, also spoke about AI's impact on the music industry.
"AI is the way for enhancing technology right now. We should not assume that it can replace humans."
"There's a thought that AI will replace musicians and singers. But there's nothing to fear. Human intelligence, when working with AI, can achieve wonders," Hindustan Times quoted him as saying.
AI's role
'AI is a friend and personal assistant'
Mahadevan sees AI more as a "friend and personal assistant" than an independent creator, emphasizing its function as a launchpad for musical thoughts.
He explained, "It offers suggestions, like a line or a tune, which the artist can then build upon. Some suggestions are phenomenal and out of this world, while others are very amateurish and basic."
"At the core, you need to be a good musician to be able to use AI to your advantage."
Technological evolution
'We have remained irreplaceable'
Reflecting on the impact of technology on music, Mahadevan said, "Fifty years ago, when synthesizers were introduced or when programming software became prevalent, musicians had the same fear. But we have remained irreplaceable."
He said AI integration is already happening across industries, including music.
"It's just a tool. Fifty years ago, when synthesizers were introduced, musicians worried about what would happen to them, but we realized no one can replace live musicians."