There’s an old saying that goes, “If you can’t beat ‘em, might as well join ‘em,” and it looks like Timbaland may agree. While the discussion of AI technology has no doubt caused major concerns, there’s no denying that the future is here.
At the start of the month, Timbaland ruffled some feathers when he announced a posthumous collaboration with The Notorious B.I.G. thanks to the help of AI-generated rhymes. Now, the legendary super producer has decided to stand firm in his decision and announce a new, related endeavor. His next move will be to “commercialize artificial intelligence software that will revolutionize how songs are made,” as reported exclusively by Forbes.
“It’s going to really be a new way of creating and a new way of generating money with less costs,” he said in an article published by the outlet on Monday (May 15). Timbaland declared, “I’m already here. This is what I’m doing. I’m going to lead the way.” The 51-year-old creative genius behind the beats of superstars like Missy Elliott, Ginuwine and the late Aaliyah believes rising talent could benefit from AI assistance in a variety of ways. One would be that the technology could help those who may have a great flow but not-so-great vocals. He believes the automations would also save time.
While Forbes notes the music industry is responsible for generating around $26 billion in annual revenue, many artists and the companies that represent them have expressed their disapproval for the new wave of technology. In recent months, AI tracks such as the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, rapping Snoop Dogg’s 1999 hit “Down 4 My N**gas” have surfaced online. The West Coast legend reposted the sample and captioned it, “Wow.” The track brought in mixed reactions. Timbaland previously claimed, “I got a solution — I’ve been working on it — that’s going to be beneficial to everyone.”