'It's threat to current singers' - Netizens slam AR Rahman for recreating voices of dead singers using AI

AR Rahman has opened up a new controversy as well as debate by recreating the voices of dead singers using AI for a song in Rajinikanth’s movie. The Roja music composer used Artificial Intelligence technology to recreate the voices of Shahul Hameed and Bamba Bakya for a song from Lal Salaam titled Thimiri Yezhuda.

It has not only surprised the film industry but also the film lovers who could not decide whether it was ethically right or wrong to recreate the voices of singers who are no more.

Interestingly, these people will never have any hold over what to sing and how to sing that particular song since they won’t be there. Even then people will continue to enjoy their style of singing and their voice.

We took permission from their families and sent deserving remuneration for using their voice algorithms ..technology is not a threat and a nuisance if we use it right…#respect #nostalgia 🙏 https://t.co/X2TpRoGT3l

— A.R.Rahman (@arrahman) January 29, 2024

After an uproar on social media regarding the same, AR Rahman has now come out with an explanation in which he says that they had sought permission from the respective families of the singers and even paid the due remuneration. In this post the Oscar-winning composer penned, “We took permission from their families and sent deserving remuneration for using their voice algorithms ...technology is not a threat and a nuisance if we use it right…”

As an fanboy of you @arrahman for three decades now, though appreciating your ready synergy with any futuristic tech and innovations, this feels a tad odd and unconvincing, sir.

Most people these days, don’t even have much stronger bonds with their families even when they’re… https://t.co/rpk4IRlroY

— Aravind (@aravindkumarsd) January 29, 2024

But that has not convinced many music lovers who think that the use of technology for such things cannot be justified especially when the singers are dead and can no longer give their opinion. A user has asked, “What if Bamba Bakya or Shahul Hameed just didn’t want this and rather wanted to rest in peace?

Also, already trained professional singers aren’t getting many chances in films as heroes, heroines, directors, and their families, are all singing playbacks. Now if we adapt to this specific tech, won’t an entire generation of singers go jobless? Feels wrong sir.”

There is a reason why voice is not copyrightable - it’s the identity of the person, and only the individual can give consent to use it. What you have done is legal but unethical. It’s a dangerous precedent and opens a pandora box of deepfaking. It’s not the right way to use tech. https://t.co/BwYYtnhzqT

— Sylvian (@Sylvianism) January 29, 2024

Another user has said that there is a reason why there is a copyright act and although what AR Rahman did can be legally correct it cannot be called an ethical practice. Most of the users believe that with hundreds of singers coming out of reality shows every year, the composer should think of giving them a chance instead of bringing back the voices of the dead singers.

If you put together all reality shows in Tamil,around 100 singers are introduced every year. You could very well give opportunities to them instead of reviving late people’s voice’s through
technology🙃
But ARRetards will muttu kuduthify aka defend this too 🙂 https://t.co/3Un4A7Mbd7

— Ana De Friesmass 2.0 (@ka_fries2366) January 29, 2024