Irish singer Hozier says he would consider striking over the threat that artificial intelligence (AI) poses to the music industry.
Hozier told BBC that he would be willing to join a strike similar to the one currently taking place in Hollywood, where actors and writers are in a dispute over their contracts and protection from AI.
The “Take Me to Church” singer added that he is not sure if AI “meets the definition of art.”
After being asked if he could see himself going on strike over the threat AI poses to the music industry, Hozier said, “Joining in solidarity if there was… action on that? Absolutely.”
“Whether [AI is] art or not, I think, is nearly a philosophical debate,” the singer said. “It can’t create something based on a human experience. So I don’t know if it meets the definition of art.”
Recently, the Financial Times reported that Google and Universal Music are in talks to license musicians’ melodies and voices for AI-generated songs.
Not all musicians, however, are against AI meddling in their industry. As Breitbart News previously reported, singer and former Elon Musk girlfriend Grimes has okayed the use of her voice in AI-generated songs, promising 50 percent royalties to anyone who achieves success with an AI-generated song using her voice.
During his interview with BBC, Hozier also discussed the recent death of fellow Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor. The musician noted that he is “walking on this road that she paved,” referring to O’Connor’s criticism of the Catholic Church.
Hozier, whose “Take Me to Church” song is also a criticism of the Catholic Church, pointed out that it’s more acceptable to attack the Catholic Church today than it was in the past.
“I think sensibilities have changed,” Hozier said. “I think part of it is because Sinead was a woman. I think a lot of it is she was one of the first who had that courage to stand up and say it.”
“That was such a taboo at the time,” he added.
The singer, however, claimed that the “mission statement” of his hit single is “more applicable now than it was 10 years ago,” despite the LGBT agenda making major advancements in society, taking over the entertainment industry so that consumers find it virtually impossible to avoid being subjected to homosexuality and gender-bending concepts.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
