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The record label representing award-winning singer Jorja Smith has declared its intention to claim a share of royalties from a song it claims was created using an AI "replica" of the performer's distinctive voice.

The song, titled 'I Run' by UK electronic duo Haven, achieved massive popularity on social media in October, partly due to its polished R&B singing by an unnamed woman vocalist.

Although its momentum and impending top 40 position in the UK and US, the track was subsequently removed by major music services after industry bodies sent takedown requests, stating it violated intellectual property law by impersonating another artist.

Even though 'I Run' has since been re-released with different singing, Smith's label, FAMM, insists it believes the original recording was made with AI programmed on her extensive recordings and is now pursuing financial redress.

A Larger Issue in Play

"The situation isn't just about Jorja. This is bigger than a single performer or a single track," the label stated in a public announcement.

FAMM further stated its belief that "each versions of the track infringe on the artist's rights and unjustly take advantage of the creative output of all the writers with whom she works."

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

Suggesting that her supporters were possibly deceived by Haven's first track, the label added: "Our industry cannot allow this to be the standard practice."

Creators Acknowledge Using AI Tools

The team responsible for the track have openly confirmed using AI during its creation.

Songwriter Harrison Walker explained that the original voice were in fact his own but were extensively altered using AI music software Suno, sometimes called the "advanced tool for music".

In addition, the second producer, Waypoint, whose real name is Jacob Donaghue, stated on social media that AI was used to "apply our original vocal a female quality".

Donaghue and Walker maintain that they wrote and created the song themselves and have even shared files of their original computer files.

"This shouldn't be mystery that I used AI-assisted vocal processing to convert exclusively my voice for 'I Run'," Walker elaborated.

"Being a creator and producer, I like experimenting with new tools, methods and remaining on the cutting edge of what's happening," he added.

"To set the facts straight, the artists behind HAVEN are real and people, and all we aim to do is make great music for other humans."

Legal Gray Areas and Industry Implications

Although their first release of 'I Run' was blocked from official charts, the replacement version managed to enter the UK Top 40 last week.

FAMM has positioned the entire episode as a significant precedent for the entertainment sector's evolving interaction with AI.

The label stated it had "an obligation to voice concerns" and "encourage wider discussion", because AI is proliferating at an "alarming rate and significantly exceeding legal oversight".

"Computer-created material should be transparently identified as such so that the public may choose whether they consume it or not," the message added.

Creators Become 'Collateral Victims'

Smith shared her label's position on her own social media page.

The text cautioned that artists and songwriters were turning into "collateral damage in the race by policymakers and tech firms towards AI dominance".

It further stated that the label would share any awarded royalties with the writers behind Smith's music.

"If we are successful in proving that AI helped to write the lyrics and melody in 'I Run' and are granted a portion of the song, we would aim to assign every one of Jorja's collaborators with a corresponding share," it detailed.

The Ongoing Rise of Computer-Generated Music

The emergence of algorithmically created music has been a source of both fascination and consternation for the music industry.

• In the summer, the group Velvet Sundown accumulated vast numbers of plays before disclosing they used AI to help develop their sound.
• Last month, an AI-generated "performer" known as Breaking Rust topped a US country sales chart, showing that listeners are not necessarily opposed to hearing computer-generated music.
• Suno was last year sued for alleged violations by the industry's major largest record labels, though those legal actions have now been settled.

Subsequently, Warner Music entered into a partnership with the company, which will enable users to generate songs using the vocal likenesses, names, and images of Warner artists who agree to the service.

Yet, it is unclear how a large number of well-known artists will agree to such uses of their work.

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

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