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Microsoft announced a new partnership today with Suno, an AI music startup, that will allow users of the AI assistant Copilot to instantly create songs based on any text prompt.
The integration uses Suno’s technology to generate complete musical compositions, including lyrics, instruments, and vocals, from just a sentence or two of text. For example, prompting “Create an upbeat pop song about going on a road trip with friends” will result in a catchy and lyrically coherent pop tune.
The partnership comes amid a surge of AI tools for automated music generation from many of the tech giants. For example, Google recently unveiled MusicFX, an experimental songwriting tool with safeguards in place to prevent copying artists’ styles. Similarly, DeepMind’s Lyria project faced backlash for voice mimicry features before launch. TikTok maker ByteDance has also developed an AI system called SALMONN to better comprehend audio inputs.
Democratizing music while raising ethical concerns
Suno uses a proprietary AI system to create complete musical compositions including lyrics, instruments, and vocals from brief text descriptions. While democratizing music creation, the system raises concerns about copyright infringement, originality, and unfair competition with human artists.
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Microsoft seems aware of ethical pitfalls, promising responsible development through public feedback. Copilot’s preview launch mirrors Google’s experimental approach with MusicFX. However, details remain sparse around how Microsoft will address specific issues.
The future of AI and music
The collaboration positions Microsoft at the forefront of exploring AI’s creative potential. By lowering musical barriers, Copilot could enable new forms of human expression. But questions persist around regulation, compensation, and artistry. Some view AI-generated music as lacking human spirit or presenting legal risks.
As these tools advance, Microsoft must increase transparency while working closely with users, artists, and the industry. Striking the right balance will be key to ensuring AI augments creativity rather than replaces it. But if done thoughtfully, Copilot’s new powers could compose an innovative future at the intersection of technology and music.
