[Dispatch=Reporter Yuha] 'Did you become the adult you dreamed of? / Worries I didn't know in childhood / One by one settle / Quietly on my shoulders / Weighing me down.'

An earnest voice, expressive vocals, lyrics that evoke empathy. 'Did you become the adult you dreamed of?' went viral across various short-form video platforms. It even climbed to No. 2 on Melon's 'Top 100,' earning public recognition.

The artist behind this song, 'Meomureu,' is a fictional artist that does not exist. The track was created using an AI music generation tool called 'Suno.' AI technology was used in the melody, arrangement, and vocals.

AI has lowered the barrier to music creation. Songs can be made without professional composition skills. Some of these tracks have gained public resonance and even entered the upper rankings of music charts.

However, technological advancement is not entirely welcomed. While it represents a new opportunity for some, it can be a threat to existing creators. Concerns about creative freedom and potential rights infringement coexist.

'Dispatch' examined the current state of AI music. Now is the time to consider not just the potential of technology, but also the responsibility it brings and how to coexist with it.

◆ Can anyone make it?

'Did you become the adult you dreamed of?' demonstrated the potential of AI music. The popularity that started on Reels extended to music charts. It proved that songs by virtual artists can also resonate with the public.

The production process is overwhelmingly simple (compared to human creation). Simply sign up for an AI music generation tool like 'Suno,' and that's it. Enter your desired genre, mood, and lyrics, and a track emerges in less than a minute. The technical barriers needed for composition, arrangement, and vocals have crumbled.

That does not mean the human role has disappeared. 'Did you become the adult you dreamed of?' also had human creativity and artistry added to it. An actual composer directly participated in planning, lyricwriting, and producing to enhance the quality.

Music critic Il-gwon Kang pointed out, "The result will clearly differ depending on what sensibility the person handling AI has," and "the lyrics of Meomureu exemplify this."

AI music continues to be released in abundance. According to French music platform 'Deezer,' as of June, an average of 90,000 completely AI-generated songs were uploaded per day. This accounts for more than half of all new uploads overall.

◆ Anyone can lose

As the barrier to creation has lowered, concerns have grown. AI music generation models learn from vast amounts of data to create songs. It is difficult to verify what music was used in the training or whether consent from the original creators was obtained.

Creators' backlash has been intense. Singer-songwriter Nick Cave criticized AI-generated lyrics that mimicked his style as "grotesque mockery of humanity." He believed AI cannot replace human experience and emotion.

The film industry has also taken action. The Directors Guild of America (DGA), chaired by director Christopher Nolan, signed a directors' protection agreement regarding generative AI in June. Director Guillermo del Toro made clear he will not use AI in his creative work.

The rights of creators using AI are also unclear. The Korean Music Copyright Association (hereafter 'Music Copyright Association') currently does not accept fiduciary registrations of AI-utilized works. Even if humans directly participated in the creation, it is difficult to have those rights recognized.

The Music Copyright Association previously prepared criteria for permitting registration but withdrew them following opinions from the National Assembly and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Implementation of a detection system to distinguish AI usage has also been delayed. The original target date was last month, but the withdrawal of criteria pushed the timeline back.

◆ The meaning of music

Music is art that brings joy through sound to those who listen. Regardless of who made it or how it was made, if it moves the hearts of the public, it has meaning in itself.

In fact, the public has responded to AI music. After listening to 'Did you become the adult you dreamed of?,' viewers shared their own stories in YouTube comments. If the music is good, whether AI was used may not matter.

However, the value of music does not lie solely in the music file. The experiences and emotions an artist goes through while making a song, as well as the sincerity shown on stage, are part of the music. This is especially true for songs where performance is important.

As AI music increases, the unique value of human artists may become even more pronounced. The live atmosphere, connection with the audience, and the narrative an artist has built are areas difficult to replace with just a music file.

Ultimately, the standard by which people view music differs from person to person. Some feel moved by AI music alone, while others place greater value on human creation and charm. There is no single correct answer.

◆ The right to know what you're listening to

The boundary between AI music and human-made music continues to blur. Music critic Do-heon Kim said, "Even experts can barely tell at a glance if it's an 'AI song,'" and predicted, "This gap will narrow increasingly over time."

Similar results emerged from actual research. 'Deezer' and others conducted a blind test with 9,000 people across eight countries last year. 97% of respondents could not distinguish between AI music and human-made music.

However, when respondents learned it was AI music, their reaction changed. 52% felt uncomfortable upon learning they could not distinguish between the two. 40% said they would skip a song if they knew it was AI-generated.

Evaluations of song quality and production methods can differ. Even if a song is good, some listeners feel repelled by the fact that AI was used. Conversely, many listeners willingly enjoy it knowing this fact.

If the ear cannot discern it, blocking it is also difficult. However, should not those who listen at least be able to make a judgment (about whether AI was used)? In the same survey, 80% of respondents said clear labeling was necessary for completely AI-generated songs.

◆ Standards for coexistence

Changes have already begun overseas. 'Deezer' has been attaching separate tags to completely AI-generated songs since June last year. Streaming confirmed through fraudulent playback is excluded from copyright royalty settlements.

'Spotify' has also recently introduced 'AI Credits' that disclose AI usage in the track production process. It is assigning 'AI Persona' badges to artists presumed to be virtual.

Critic Il-gwon Kang emphasized, "AI music has already become a trend of the times. We cannot reverse that," and said, "Rather than dividing AI music into positive and negative, what matters is how we handle it."

However, domestic institutional readiness lags behind. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism told 'Dispatch,' "We are not reviewing revisions to copyright law related to AI music," and "whether there is human creative contribution is a matter for courts to judge."

The Music Copyright Association awaits government guidelines, and the government awaits court rulings. Meanwhile, AI music has already crossed the threshold of the charts. Now it is time for institutions to catch up with the pace of technology.

<Photo sources=Dispatch DB, Melon, YouTube, Spotify>