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The record label representing Brit Award-winning singer Jorja Smith has declared its desire to receive a portion of earnings from a track it claims was created using an artificial intelligence "replica" of the singer's distinctive vocal style.

The song, titled 'I Run' by UK dance act Haven, achieved massive popularity on TikTok last October, partly due to its smooth soul singing by an uncredited woman vocalist.

Despite its success and potential top 40 entry in both UK and US, the song was subsequently removed by leading streaming platforms after industry bodies issued takedown requests, stating it breached copyright by impersonating another musician.

Even though 'I Run' has now been re-released with different vocals, Smith's label, FAMM, insists it believes the original recording was made with AI trained on her body of recordings and is now seeking appropriate redress.

A Broader Issue in Play

"The situation isn't just about one artist. It's bigger than one artist or one song," the label wrote in a recent statement.

FAMM also expressed its belief that "both iterations of the song violate Jorja's legal rights and unfairly benefit from the work of all the songwriters with whom she collaborates."

Famous for hits like 'Be Honest' and 'Little Things', Smith was named British Female Solo Artist at the prestigious Brit Awards in 2019.

Implying that her fans were possibly deceived by Haven's original release, the label added: "Our industry must not permit this to be the standard practice."

Producers Admit Employing AI Technology

The duo behind the song have openly confirmed using AI in its production process.

Producer Harrison Walker clarified that the original vocals were actually his own but were extensively altered using AI music software Suno, often referred to as the "advanced tool for music".

Meanwhile, the other member, Waypoint, identified as Jacob Donaghue, stated on his accounts that AI was used to "apply our starting vocal a female tone".

Donaghue and Walker assert that they composed and produced the music themselves and have even shared files of their original computer files.

"It is no mystery that I used AI-assisted vocal processing to convert exclusively my voice for 'I Run'," Walker said.

"Being a songwriter and maker, I enjoy using innovative technologies, techniques and staying on the forefront of what's happening," he continued.

"To set the facts clear, the people behind HAVEN are real and people, and all we aim to do is make great music for other humans."

Legal Gray Areas and Industry Implications

Although their original version of 'I Run' was suspended from major rankings, the new version did enter the UK Top 40 last week.

FAMM has framed the entire episode as a critical test case for the music industry's evolving relationship with artificial intelligence.

The label argued it had "a duty to speak up" and "encourage wider discussion", because AI is advancing at an "alarming rate and significantly exceeding legal oversight".

"AI-generated material should be clearly identified as such so that the audience may decide whether they listen to it or not," the statement continued.

Artists as 'Collateral Victims'

Smith shared her label's position on her personal Instagram page.

The post cautioned that musicians and songwriters were becoming "collateral damage in the competition by policymakers and tech firms towards AI dominance".

It further stated that the label would distribute any awarded songwriting credits with the collaborators behind Smith's catalogue.

"Should we are successful in proving that AI helped to write the lyrics and tune in 'I Run' and are granted a portion of the song, we would seek to assign each of Jorja's co-writers with a pro-rata share," it detailed.

The Ongoing Rise of AI Music

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

• In June, the band Velvet Sundown gathered vast numbers of streams before disclosing they used AI to help develop their musical style.
• Recently, an AI-generated "artist" called Breaking Rust topped a US genre sales chart, demonstrating that listeners are not necessarily opposed to consuming AI-made music.
• Suno was previously sued for alleged violations by the industry's major biggest record labels, though those legal actions have now been resolved.

Following this, Warner Music established a collaboration with the company, which will allow users to generate songs using the vocal likenesses, names, and likenesses of Warner artists who agree to the service.

However, it is unclear how a large number of established musicians will consent to such applications of their identity.

Recently, a collective of prominent 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 opposition to proposed changes to intellectual property regulations.

They contend these changes would make it simpler for AI companies to develop models using protected work without obtaining a license.