Canadian rapper Drake is one of many artists whose voice has been used for so called audio deepfakes - without his consent. Creating them is becoming easier and easier, but what are the legal and ethical implications? 

Palo Alto

The release of Open AI's ChatGPT has accelerated the development of artificial intelligence and warnings about its impact on society.

Rise of AI

Drake or Fake? How AI creates viral hits

Rapper Drake singing in Hindi. Raggerton superstar Bad Bunny covering a Rosalía song. And Rihanna replacing Beyonce on her hit single Cuff It. Sounds too good to be true? Well, these hits exist and went viral. But the artist didn't really sing. It was an artificial intelligence. AI models can easily clone voices nowadays. How does it work? What are the problems? And could you be producing the next viral hit? First of all, many artists aren't happy about their voices being digitally cloned by an AI. A popular example. The AI track Hard On My Sleeve features the cloned voices of rapper Drake and singer The Weeknd. It was published by incognito producer Ghost Rider and initially made available on streaming platforms like Spotify and on social media. The song went viral quickly. When Universal Music Group, the label representing both artists, invoked copyright violations, the platforms had to take the track down. Universal Statement emphasizes how AI-generated tracks could impact artists' livelihoods. Generative AI using our artists' music begs the question as to which side of history all stakeholders in the music ecosystem want to be on. The side of artists, fans and human creative expression? Or on the side of deepfakes, fraud and denying artists their due compensation? Canadian musician Grimes wants to use AI to her advantage. The ex-partner of tech billionaire Elon Musk recently tweeted, I'll split 50% royalties on any successful AI-generated song that uses my voice. Same deal as I would with any artist I collab with. Feel free to use my voice without penalty. Grimes is a musician who has been embracing modern technology in her art for quite some time. So what do you think? Can AI voice cloning be a new source for income for singers or is it only a threat? And anyway, how are these AI audio clones created? Actually, it is quite easy. A deepfake of a voice can be created within minutes. Find an online tool, feed it with voice samples and once the software has enough training data, upload a voice recording of the text you wish to have translated into the other person's voice. We've taken Grimes up on her offer. We took a random beat, made up a little melody and asked chat GPT to write us an uplifting pop verse. Then we've uploaded it to a website that's offering Grimes' voice as a preset. Using a video editing software, we mixed the voice samples with the beat. Here's the result. Ok there's a lot of room for improvement here and it's highly unlikely we'll make any money with this track. But can this be a model for the future? If so, you could create the next number one hit. There are even websites that can do the mixing for you. But it's highly debatable if these websites are legal. In the meantime, Grimes invented a business model herself. She released an app for creators to use her voice print. The app even allows you to directly upload your Grimes AI song for distribution to streaming platforms but that'll cost you about 10 dollars a year. Audio deepfakes and copyright issues. So far it is absolutely unclear how AI music is to be dealt with when it comes to ownership and copyright. An AI writes a song. Who owns the copyright? The company that developed the AI or the person that typed in the prompts and made the AI come up with the piece? Apart from that, what about compensation for artists whose voices might have been used? AI music also has ethical implications. Just imagine a voice being used for lyrics that are the opposite of what an artist stands for. Eminem rapping about cats, a deepfake that went viral a couple of weeks ago, might look like an innocent joke. But in case someone produced a track with him spouting political propaganda, this could severely damage his career. I wonder how Grimes would handle a situation like that. Another big question is aesthetics. Some musicians have already raised concerns about AI completely erasing the concept of artistic quality. One danger is the lowering of artistic standards to a point where fake becomes real and mediocrity rules, said US musician Dan Navarro. To avoid that, US artists and music industry representatives have created the Human Artistry Campaign. Their goal is to use artificial intelligence in a responsible way to support human creativity and accomplishment with respect to the inimitable value of human artistry and expression. What do you think? Is AI a threat to music as we know it or could us users and artists benefit from it? Let us know!

Wait times for elective surgery and emergency treatment are at dangerous new highs according to figures from the Australian Medical Association. The revelation coincides with a meeting of the nation's health ministers to negotiate a new hospitals funding agreement.

Canberra

Elective surgery wait times longest on record

Russian night-time strikes killed eight people, including two children, and injured 18 in Ukraine's central Dnipropetrovsk region, the interior ministry said.

Dnipro

Ukraine Invasion

Ukraine says eight killed in Russian strikes

Israeli media cited foreign reports of an Israeli strike on Iran in the absence of official public comment, while Iranian television reports played down the attack - many not even mentioning the "Zionist entity," Iran's term for Israel. Muted responses suggested neither side wanted to escalate the conflict.

Tehran

Israel-Gaza War

Israel, Iran both muted in response to Isfahan attack

At least 69 people across Pakistan died in the past week after heavy rainfall caused severe flooding, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Apart from those killed, dozens have suffered injuries from lightning strikes and buildings collapsing, local media reported.

Chaman

Dozens killed in Pakistan as heavy rain causes flooding

South Korea's government has announced a compromise in its medical reform plans in a bid to end a two-month walkout by doctors, and also said President Yoon Suk Yeol would meet the opposition leader for the first time after two years in office.

Seoul

South Korea government to compromise on medical reforms

Ukraine says it has shot down a Russian strategic bomber 185 miles from its border on Friday (April 19) after the warplane took part in an airstrike that killed at least eight people in the central Dnipropetrovsk region.

Stavropol

Ukraine downs Russian strategic bomber after strike

Explosions echoed over an Iranian city in what sources described as an Israeli attack, but Tehran played down the incident and indicated it had no plans for retaliation - a response that appeared gauged towards averting region-wide war.

Iran signals no retaliation against Israel after drone attack

The United States voted against a Palestinian request to the United Nations Security Council for full UN membership, blocking the world body's recognition of a Palestinian state. The draft resolution received 12 votes in favour, two abstentions from the UK and Switzerland, and one vote against.

New York

U.S. vetoes Palestinian request for U.N. membership

Indonesian authorities closed an airport and residents left homes near an erupting volcano due to the dangers of spreading ash, falling rocks, hot volcanic clouds and the possibility of a tsunami.

Sulawesi

Tsunami warning after Indonesia volcano erupts

Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter said, as Iranian state media reported that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.

Israel strikes targets in Iran: Sources

Police have interviewed the sixteen-year-old accused of stabbing a Western Sydney Bishop during an alleged terror attack last Sunday. He's now facing terrorism charges that carry lengthy jail terms.

Council of the City of Sydney

Teen facing life behind bars after terror charges

Kenya's military chief, General Francis Ogolla, was among 10 people killed in a military helicopter crash shortly after take-off, President William Ruto announced. The helicopter was visiting troops combating cattle rustling when it crashed minutes after takeoff, Ruto said.

Nairobi

Kenya's military chief killed in helicopter crash

After a few setbacks, 12 jurors and one alternate have been selected for Donald Trump's hush-money trial. The former U.S. president is lashing out, calling the trial 'unfair' even after he was accused of violating a gag order.

12 jurors picked for Trump's hush money trial

Indonesian rescuers raced to evacuate thousands of people Thursday after a volcano erupted five times, forcing authorities to close a nearby airport and issue a warning that the crater collapsing into the sea could cause a tsunami.

North Sulawesi

Indonesian volcano's multiple eruptions prompt evacuations

The U.S. has reinstated oil sanctions against Venezuela's government, arguing it has not met conditions to hold fair and competitive elections as negotiated with U.S. envoys and the opposition last year. However, the U.S. oil company Chevron will be allowed to continue a joint venture with the Venezuelan state oil company.

Caracas

U.S. reimposes sanctions on Venezuela’s oil, gas sectors

Friday sees the start of the general election in India. Voting in the world's largest democracy will last nearly six weeks. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third term. But the ruling BJP is criticized for promoting a Hindu nationalist agenda and cracking down on the opposition.

New Delhi

Voting set to begin in India's national election

The U.S. House of Representatives will have its long-awaited vote on aid for Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific as soon as Saturday, Republican Speaker Mike Johnson said, paving the way for its possible passage despite fierce objections from the right wing of his conference.

Washington

U.S. House to vote on Ukraine and Israel aid

The E.U. and U.S. have pledged to impose new sanctions on Iran following its attack on Israel. The E.U.'s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, says these further sanctions will be discussed by European leaders at their summit in Brussels, which is now under way.

Brussels

E.U., U.S. pledge to impose new sanctions on Iran

A Sydney bishop stabbed by a teenager in an alleged terrorism incident has spoken from hospital, saying he forgives his attacker.

Doonside

Bishop forgives attacker as rioters granted bail

An alleged ringleader behind a major drug importation syndicate has been arrested, after a number of 'cocaine bricks' washed up on Sydney and Central Coast beaches late last year.

Manly

Smuggler behind beach 'cocaine bricks' arrested

The Democratic-majority U.S. Senate dismissed impeachment charges against President Joe Biden's top border official, bringing a swift end to an effort that House of Representatives Republicans launched months ago.

U.S. Senate ends impeachment bid against Mayorkas

The owner of a wellness retreat near Ballarat has shared her 'deep sorrow and shock' following the death of a 53-year-old woman. It's understood Rachael Dixon consumed a drink made with mushrooms before she died.

Clunes

Wellness retreat 'shock' at mushroom death

The dry desert countries of Oman and the U.A.E. are dealing with the aftermath of deadly flash floods caused by more than one year's worth of rain falling in just 24 hours, which some are attributing to climate change.

Dubai

Climate Crisis

Record rainfall causes deadly floods in U.A.E., Oman

Germany has urged the European Union and NATO member states to bolster Ukraine's air defenses as quickly as possible as Russian missiles pounded Ukrainian cities and its president repeated urgent calls for support. The Netherlands, Czechia and Denmark quickly rallied behind the proposal.

NATO looks to bolster Ukraine air defenses

Bondi Junction shopping centre will reopen today for a community reflection day before resuming normal trading hours from Friday. Meanwhile, six victims from the stabbing attack remain in hospital, with two women in ICU.

Bondi

Shopping centre to reopen for community reflection

Israel will make its own decisions about how to defend itself, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, as Western countries pleaded for restraint in responding to a volley of attacks from Iran.

Jerusalem

Netanyahu says Israel will do 'everything necessary' for defense

Three Russian missiles have crashed into Ukraine's historic city of Chernigiv, killing 17 people, as officials pleaded for more air defense systems from allies.

Chernihiv

More than a dozen killed in Russian missile strike in Ukraine

Iran's president says his country's forces are ready to face any threat. Ebrahim Raisi says any further move by Israel will be met with another attack by Iran. He made the comments during Iran's National Army Day.

Iran’s Raisi reiterates warnings as Israel mulls response to attack

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned of further sanctions targeting Iran following its unprecedented weekend attack on Israel, saying she expects Washington will take added action "in the coming days." The EU is also weighing new sanctions against Iran according to foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

U.S., E.U. weigh new sanctions targetting Iran

The first seven jurors for Donald Trump's hush money trial were seated after lawyers grilled the jury pool about their social media posts, political views and personal lives to decide who can sit in fair judgment of the former president. Eleven more people still must be sworn in before opening statements begin as early as next week in the first criminal trial of a former US president.

SEE THE FULL STORY

Rise of AI