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The record label representing Brit Award-winning singer Jorja Smith has stated its intention to receive a share of earnings from a song it claims was created using an artificial intelligence "replica" of the performer's distinctive vocal style.

The song, titled 'I Run' by British dance act Haven, achieved massive traction on social media last October, in part due to its polished R&B vocals by an uncredited woman singer.

Although its momentum and impending top 40 entry in the UK and US, the track was subsequently banned by leading streaming platforms after music bodies sent takedown requests, alleging it violated intellectual property law by imitating another artist.

Although 'I Run' has since been reissued with different singing, Smith's label, FAMM, maintains it is convinced the initial version was made with AI trained on her extensive work and is now pursuing appropriate redress.

A Broader Issue at Stake

"This isn't just about Jorja. This is larger than a single performer or a single track," the label stated in a recent statement.

FAMM also stated its belief that "both versions of the track violate Jorja's rights and unfairly take advantage of the work of all the writers with whom she works."

Known for hits like 'Be Honest' and 'Little Things', Smith was crowned British Female Solo Artist at the prestigious Brit Awards in 2019.

Suggesting that her supporters were possibly deceived by Haven's original release, the label added: "We cannot allow this to become the new normal."

Producers Acknowledge Using AI Technology

The team behind the song have openly confirmed using AI during its production process.

Songwriter Harrison Walker explained that the initial voice were in fact his own but were extensively manipulated using AI music platform Suno, often called the "ChatGPT for music".

In addition, the second member, Waypoint, identified as Jacob Donaghue, confirmed on his accounts that AI was used to "give our original vocal a feminine tone".

Donaghue and Walker assert that they wrote and created the music themselves and have even shared evidence of their source computer files.

"It is no secret that I used AI-powered vocal editing to transform exclusively my voice for 'I Run'," Walker said.

"Being a songwriter and maker, I enjoy experimenting with new tools, techniques and staying on the forefront of what's happening," he added.

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

Regulatory Uncertainty and Broader Implications

Although their first release of 'I Run' was blocked from major rankings, the new version did break into the UK Top 40 last week.

FAMM has positioned the incident as a critical precedent for the music industry's evolving relationship with artificial intelligence.

The label stated it had "a duty to speak up" and "encourage wider discussion", because AI is proliferating at an "rapid rate and significantly outpacing legal oversight".

"AI-generated content should be clearly identified as such so that the public may choose whether they listen to it or not," the statement continued.

Creators Become 'Unintended Damage'

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

The post cautioned that musicians and songwriters were turning into "collateral damage in the race by governments and tech firms towards AI dominance".

It also stated that the label would share any potential songwriting credits with the writers behind Smith's catalogue.

"Should we are able in establishing that AI helped to write the lyrics and melody in 'I Run' and are awarded a share of the song, we would aim to assign each of Jorja's collaborators with a corresponding share," it explained.

The Continuing Rise of AI Music

The emergence of algorithmically created music has been a topic of both fascination and consternation for the entertainment world.

• In the summer, the group Velvet Sundown accumulated millions of plays before disclosing they used AI to aid develop their sound.
• Recently, an AI-generated "artist" called Breaking Rust led a US country sales chart, showing that listeners are not necessarily opposed to consuming AI-made music.
• Suno was previously taken to court for alleged violations by the world's major biggest record labels, but those legal actions have since been settled.

Following this, Warner Music entered into a collaboration with the firm, which will allow users to create songs using the vocal likenesses, names, and images of Warner acts who agree to the service.

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

Just last week, a collective of renowned artists including Sir Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox, Damon Albarn, and Kate Bush issued a vinyl album containing tracks of silence or audio of quiet studios in protest to potential changes to intellectual property regulations.

They argue these amendments would make it simpler for AI companies to develop models using protected work without securing a permission.