Sting Says AI Can’t Replace the Emotion of Human Music

Sting believes artificial intelligence can create decent pop songs, but says it cannot replace the emotion and personal experiences behind music made by humans.

Appearing on BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, the 74-year-old singer said AI can produce music suitable for places like hotels or train stations, but questioned whether people would actually choose to listen to it.

“AI has never had its heart broken, it doesn’t have a story,” Sting said, arguing that audiences still want to see real people perform live, including the vulnerability and mistakes that come with being human.

However, the “Every Breath You Take” singer warned that AI could pose a serious threat to jobs and the wider labor economy.

Other musicians have also spoken out about the technology. Alter Bridge frontman Myles Kennedy recently said he refuses to use AI as a songwriting tool, describing the creative process as one of the most rewarding parts of making music.

Kennedy said he would rather experience the challenge of writing a song himself than use AI to speed up the process. He acknowledged that the technology may work for other artists, but said it is not something he wants to incorporate into his own songwriting.

Meanwhile, Boy George has taken a different approach and has used AI to generate songs.