As Talent Is Timeless enters its milestone fifth year, we’re facing questions that songwriters of previous generations never had to consider. When does technological assistance cross the line from being a tool to becoming something that fundamentally changes the nature of songwriting itself? And more broadly, is this separation of AI and human creativity a sign of things to come across all creative fields?

The music industry has always evolved with technology. From multi-track recording to synthesizers, from drum machines to digital audio workstations, each innovation has been met with both excitement and concern. But AI presents unique challenges that go beyond anything we’ve seen before.

Let’s be honest about what’s at stake. A song created primarily through AI can simulate emotional depth without the years of lived experience that typically inform songwriting. It can mimic styles and create convincing melodies without the countless hours of practice, the late nights struggling with lyrics, or the hard-won mastery of an instrument. This raises profound questions about authenticity and artistic truth.

Consider the human connections we’ve built through Talent Is Timeless. Our community of over 18,000 songwriters shares not just music, but life stories, struggles, triumphs, and genuine emotional experiences. When AI enters this space, it can create a facade of connection that feels hollow once the truth is known.

However, we must also acknowledge that technology, including AI, can be a valuable tool for creative expression. Many of our members already use digital tools like Band in a Box for backing tracks, or pitch correction to polish their vocals. These tools have become standard parts of the modern songwriter’s toolkit. The question isn’t whether to use technology, but how to use it transparently and ethically. We believe AI-assisted music can be valid and valuable as its own art form, but it should not be presented as something it’s not.

“I love what this conversation raises, I’m so excited about it. The real nub of it for me is that it points out that no matter how imperfect you feel you are – your voice, looks, songs, guitar playing – whatever. It’s still much more special than a perfect performance by a robot. I’m unusual for a musician in that I barely ever listen to recorded music. What I value is live music. Performed in an unrepeatable real moment, live. Even when I record my albums, we seek to capture that ‘live’ energy by recording the majority of it as a live session.

People are gonna hate me for this, but I once conducted a £95,000 experiment about on this by accident (before you come for me with pitchforks – this was covered by the record deal). I recorded my album ‘Where Are We Heading’ track by track during the lockdown at Abbey Road Studios with top musicians. The executive producer wasn’t happy with it, and we re-recorded the entire album 3 more times to completion (hence the cost). One of the times we recorded it live, inside Studio 3, where all the musicians could play at once. We have since blind tested two versions of the album – the one performed live, and the one recorded track by track. You can think of this as either a photograph of a live scene, capturing the creativity and imperfections, vs a paint by numbers piece.

Not a single person has ever said that the ‘paint by numbers’ version was better. That was a definitive moment for me. I have never recorded track by track for my own artist profile again, preferring instead to bring in players who equally value live creativity, and want to capture an energy rather than a perfect performance. That’s what you’re hearing on all my latest tracks. Live, joyful, imperfect, real recordings.

I suspect the conversation around AI music and songs will make it very clear to people that ‘real’ and ‘flawed’ is preferable to ‘polished’ and ‘inauthentic’. I’m not saying we can’t use tech tools – I love them and use them every day, but there is one realm where they are not for me and that’s the realm of relationships and life. “ – Saskia Griffiths-Moore, Talent Is Timeless.

Our solution? For our annual contest, we’re creating a dedicated AI category. This decision serves two purposes: it provides a legitimate space for AI-assisted creativity while preserving the integrity of our traditional categories. It’s like creating separate wings in an art gallery – each valuable in its own right, but distinctly different in nature.

This is our appraoch for the 5th annual Talent Is Timeless contest:

1. We’re creating a separate category for AI-assisted songs in our competitions
2. We’re requiring clear disclosure of AI use in all submitted works
3. We’re maintaining our traditional categories for human-created songs

This approach allows us to embrace new technology while preserving the integrity of traditional songwriting. 

What constitutes AI assistance? Here’s our current thinking:

• Using Band in a Box or similar tools for backing tracks: Acceptable in traditional categories
• Basic audio processing and pitch correction: Acceptable in traditional categories
• AI-generated melodies, lyrics, or complete songs: Must be entered in the AI category
• AI voice synthesis or extensive vocal processing: Must be entered in the AI category

We want to hear from our community about these guidelines. How do you use technology in your songwriting? Where do you think the lines should be drawn?

“While AI promises the creators tools to greatly streamline the process of creation, amplifying their inspiration and making hitherto complicated tasks a breeze, I’d rather keep the actual creation of music within the human realm. Music for me music is about authentic story telling, human relationships and gaining an insight into things the word or thought alone cannot grasp. And that, in my mind is a uniquely human domain, for now.” – Kris Gorksi, Producer

For our monthly challenges, we’re taking a more exploratory approach. We’ll welcome AI-assisted songs alongside traditional entries, requiring only clear labeling of AI involvement. This mirrors how we previously evolved to distinguish between new and catalogue songs – allowing the community’s needs to guide our categorization naturally.

The reality is that this separation between human and AI-created work may become the new normal across all creative fields. Just as Olympic sports have different categories for different classes of competition, creative endeavors might evolve to explicitly distinguish between purely human-created works and those with significant AI assistance.

But here’s what technology can never replicate: the electricity of performing to a live audience, the genuine connection between artist and listener, the shared human experience that makes music so powerful. You can have a million AI listeners or bot farms that stream your music, but they’ll never equal the impact of even having just one person in the audience, really listening to you.

Remember, the heart of Talent Is Timeless has always been about authentic creative expression by songwriters over 50. As we navigate these new waters, we’re committed to maintaining that authenticity while embracing the possibilities that new technology brings.

We can be curious about AI’s creative potential while still honoring the irreplaceable value of human creativity and connection. After all, even when we’re playing with AI tools, it’s still humans making the creative choices, humans sharing their stories, and humans forming relationships around this new form of expression. Whether a song is created with an acoustic guitar or the latest AI tool, it’s the human heart behind it that truly matters.

Let’s continue this conversation together, openly and honestly. Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.