Vice President of Business Development at Element U.S. Space & Defense
Answered a month ago
My 25 years in Test, Inspection, Certification (TIC) has honed my ability to identify subtle deviations from expected norms, much like discerning AI-generated music. At Element U.S. Space & Defense, our technical excellence and analytical acumen are applied to ensure products meet rigorous standards in rapidly evolving markets. When we perform acoustic noise testing, we carefully look for unwanted sound patterns that indicate a product isn't performing as expected. A "telltale hiss" or overly "generic sounds" in music could be an acoustic signature of an AI system failing to meet the nuanced standards of human composition. For product validation, we also evaluate a product's full lifecycle and its conformity to market standards, similar to scrutinizing an artist's discography and online presence. Just as we help products enter international markets by ensuring they meet complex regulations, AI music often struggles with the "standards" of genuine artistic expression, revealing itself through a lack of genuine engagement or unnaturally consistent output. My role involves balancing strategic planning with tactical execution to ensure our capabilities remain competitive, which includes understanding a creation's underlying intent. For AI music, a critical component we'd seek to validate, much like in our rigorous product testing, is the presence of genuine narrative or emotional depth.
As a brand strategist who helps tech products fight commoditization and build meaningful brands, I look for the hallmarks of authentic creation and strategic intent that AI often lacks. My work launching products like the Robosen Optimus Prime and Buzz Lightyear robots involves crafting distinct brand narratives and immersive user experiences that resonate deeply. When checking discography and social media, look for a coherent, evolving brand story; authentic artists build a unique voice and foster genuine audience engagement. For example, our social media strategies for Robosen's Buzz Lightyear focused on creating anticipation and connection, which requires a human touch behind the content and interaction. 'Generic' sounds often signify a lack of deliberate, data-driven creativity, failing to evoke specific emotions--precisely what our DOSE Methodtm aims to achieve for brands. A 'telltale hiss' points to a lack of polished, premium production, which is a non-starter when we craft compelling 3D renders and packaging for clients like Robosen to emphasize quality and collector's value.
AI music is giving away itself mainly by the patterns, not the perfection," says Cache Merrill, founder of Zibtek. "One of the biggest red flags is when the volume is over the story — for example, artists that drop dozens of releases in just a few months but there is no clear evolution or identity. According to Merrill, examining the issue further is a good idea. "Genuine musicians leave their marks everywhere — social media, live performances, interviews, features. If an artist only lives on Spotify, that's really questionable." Moreover, he recommends listening for emotion emptiness. "Most AI tracks are sound 'alright' but empty at the same time. The mixes are clean, the melodies are safe, but there is no risk. There is rarely any tension, surprise, or personality — just nice harmless wallpaper." Another tell: metadata. "Be careful with generic song titles, redo cover artworks, or several 'artists' sharing the same style." As a rule of thumb, he states, "If it feels more optimized rather than expressed, then most probably you are listening to code, not to a creator.
I first look up the artist's profile on Spotify. If there is no biography, no tour history, no social media links, and then they release 20-50 songs every 2-3 weeks, that's a huge red flag. Most artists really invest in building a catalog over a long period of time and are present on a lot of different platforms. I try to identify patterns in their music on Spotify. AI-generated music is usually more generic, safe, and made up of mid-tempo beats and predictable chord progressions. The melodies are often empty, and they might even include unwanted noises such as a digital hiss, quiet artifacts, an unnatural fade, cut-off vocals, or silence. The lyrics seem grammatically correct, and some are even poetic, but there's no real meaning. Motivational quotes are often overlaid over pictures of nature, and the songs are like that too. Most people overlook the metadata of a song. If the release date is recent, the genre tags are vague, and the song's audio is made from a random selection of trending sounds, it's likely an AI-generated song. I like to think that imperfect humans create real art.