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The record label representing award-winning singer Jorja Smith has stated its intention to receive a share of royalties from a track it asserts was created using an AI "replica" of the performer's unique voice.

The track, titled 'I Run' by British dance act Haven, gained massive traction on TikTok in October, partly due to its smooth soul vocals by an uncredited woman vocalist.

Although its momentum and potential top 40 entry in both UK and US, the song was subsequently removed by major music services after industry organizations sent takedown requests, alleging it violated intellectual property law by impersonating another artist.

Although 'I Run' has since been re-released with completely new singing, Smith's label, FAMM, insists it is convinced the original recording was generated with AI programmed on her body of work and is now pursuing appropriate compensation.

A Larger Principle in Play

"This isn't just about one artist. This is bigger than a single performer or one song," the label wrote in a recent announcement.

FAMM further stated its view that "both versions of the song infringe on the artist's rights and unjustly benefit from the creative output of all the songwriters with whom she works."

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

Suggesting that her supporters were possibly misled by Haven's first release, the label concluded: "Our industry cannot permit this to be the new normal."

Producers Admit Employing AI Technology

The team behind the song have publicly confirmed using AI in its production process.

Producer Harrison Walker clarified that the original vocals were in fact his own but were heavily altered using music-generation software Suno, sometimes referred to as the "advanced tool for music".

In addition, the other member, Waypoint, identified as Jacob Donaghue, stated on social media that AI was used to "give our original vocal a feminine quality".

Donaghue and Walker assert that they composed and created the song themselves and have even provided evidence of their original computer files.

"This shouldn't be secret that I used AI-powered vocal editing to convert exclusively my voice for 'I Run'," Walker elaborated.

"As a creator and maker, I like using new tools, techniques and remaining on the cutting edge of industry trends," he continued.

"To set the facts clear, the people behind HAVEN are real and human, and all we want to do is make enjoyable music for fellow humans."

Regulatory Gray Areas and Broader Impact

Although their original release of 'I Run' was blocked from official rankings, the new recording managed to enter the UK Top 40 last week.

FAMM has positioned the incident as a significant test case for the entertainment sector's evolving relationship with artificial intelligence.

The label stated it had "a duty to speak up" and "stimulate wider discussion", because AI is advancing at an "alarming rate and substantially outpacing legal oversight".

"AI-generated material should be transparently identified as such so that the public may decide whether they listen to it or not," the message added.

Artists as 'Unintended Victims'

Smith endorsed her label's statement on her personal Instagram page.

The text warned that musicians and songwriters were turning into "collateral damage in the competition by policymakers and corporations towards AI dominance".

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

"Should we are able in proving that AI helped to write the lyrics and tune in 'I Run' and are granted a share of the song, we would seek to allocate every one of Jorja's collaborators with a corresponding share," it explained.

The Ongoing Rise of Computer-Generated Music

The proliferation of AI-generated music has been a topic of both interest and anxiety for the music industry.

• In June, the group Velvet Sundown accumulated millions of plays before disclosing they used AI to help develop their musical style.
• Last month, an AI-generated "artist" called Breaking Rust led a US country digital song sales chart, showing that audiences are not always averse to hearing computer-generated music.
• Suno was last year sued for alleged violations by the world's major largest record labels, but those legal actions have since been settled.

Subsequently, Warner Music established a partnership with the firm, which will enable users to generate songs using the vocal likenesses, names, and likenesses of Warner acts who agree to the program.

Yet, it remains unclear how many well-known musicians will agree to such applications of their work.

Just last week, a group of renowned musicians such as Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush released a vinyl album featuring silent songs or audio of empty studios in opposition to potential changes to intellectual property regulations.

They contend these amendments would make it easier for AI companies to develop models using copyrighted work without obtaining a permission.