Kanye West, the renowned hip-hop musician, rapper, and 24-time Grammy Award winner, released a music video for his new album “Bully” in 2025, featuring a significant portion of the album’s vocals generated using artificial intelligence. The project was initially teased as having AI elements to make music production easier. However, Kanye later expressed regret, stating he “hated” AI and that the album was unfinished, though it still contained AI vocals.
A typical and quickly recognized example of this is the song on the album, in which Kanye, who had never spoken Spanish publicly before and was generally believed to be unable to speak Spanish, sang the entire melody in authentic Spanish. While the song is beautiful, it also sparked heated discussion within the industry，andt he use of AI in the BULLY has sparked strong debate among fans and critics, with some appreciating the experimental aspects while others criticizing the quality and controversial nature of its production.
Kanye’s fans believe this is a legitimate creative tool for the legendary artist. Even when using AI to create music, the AI needs to be given clear and explicit instructions to bring the artist’s vision to life, even allowing it to incorporate elements previously unattainable by artists, significantly enriching the listener experience. Furthermore, even AI-generated music reflects the artist’s musical taste, making it difficult to conclude that it isn’t the musician’s original work.
Opponents, however, argue that originality is paramount in the field of musical art, meaning that works of art should be created, performed, or sung by the artist, not produced by AI tools. This would undoubtedly further disrupt the music industry, making it difficult for listeners to distinguish between genuine artist-created music and AI-generated music. Such behavior could even have serious consequences. Imagine a few years from now, when all the music you play in your headphones is actually generated by AI. Would you still be willing to pay to see your favorite musician perform in person?
This has given me a lot of thought. If such successful artists are using AI to create music, will smaller musicians in the industry adopt AI tools even more aggressively? Will the industry’s order be maintained? Will we no longer hear truly moving and beautiful music by your favourite artist or your favourite artist AI?
I believe the line between right and wrong remains fuzzy. Perhaps only with time and the development of the industry and technology will we know what the future of the music industry holds. But the only certainty is that the success of a piece of music will always be determined by the market—that is, by the ears of the audience. This is undeniable, whether it’s AI-generated or original.
Reference
Kanye West Drops Three Songs From ‘Bully’. HipHopDX, 2025. https://hiphopdx.com/news/kanye-west-drops-three-songs-bully
Kanye West confirms AI use in Bully album and responds to fan backlash. The Tribune, 2025. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2526701/kanye-west-confirms-ai-use-in-bully-album-and-responds-to-fan-backlash
Kanye West sort-of releases new album, ‘Bully,’ amid more hateful posts. Los Angeles Times, 2025. https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2025-03-19/kanye-west-sort-of-releases-new-album-bully-amid-more-hateful-posts
Kanye West Shows Off How He’s Using AI In The Making Of ‘Bully’. HotNewHipHop, 2025. https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/882696-kanye-west-shows-off-how-ai-bully-hip-hop-news
Kanye West Drops ‘Bully’ Album on Streaming—But There’s a Twist. Hot97, 2025. https://www.hot97.com/news/kanye-west-drops-bully-album-on-streaming-but-theres-a-twist/
Kanye West drops surprise Bully album – but did he clear the samples? MusicTech, 2025. https://musictech.com/news/kanye-west-bully-album-samples/
You captured the dilemma perfectly – artistic innovation versus authenticity. What struck me most was your question about smaller artists: if even someone like Kanye depends on AI, will upcoming musicians feel pressured to follow? It reminds me of the broader “platform dependency” issue – once listeners get used to AI-enhanced perfection, the market might punish raw human sound. Maybe the future of music won’t be about banning AI but about labeling it transparently, like “AI-assisted track.” Would that restore trust, or just make listeners care even less about who actually sings?