Grimes says people can use her voice for AI songs but 'no baby murder songs'

Grimes recently gave permission for people to use her voice to create AI-generated songs - but has since stated "no baby murder songs" as well as the other circumstances in which she would enforce copyright takedowns.

The musician and producer whose real name is Clare Boucher expressed her enthusiasm for the developing technology that sees people creating new songs using the voices of the biggest artists.

Taking to Twitter, the 35-year-old said: "I'll split 50 per cent 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. I have no label and no legal bindings."

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"I think it's cool to be fused w a machine and I like the idea of open-sourcing all art and killing copyright," she added.

The comment was in reaction to aNew York Times article titled: "An A.I. Hit of Fake ‘Drake’ and ‘The Weeknd’ Rattles the Music World" referring to how an AI song called "Heart on My Sleeve" that used Drake's and the Weeknd's voices went viral before being taken down by music streaming services.

While Drake himself hasn't commented on all the AI songs that have been created, he did express his disapproval of the practice after the rapper responded to an AI-generated cover of him rapping Ice Spice’s “Munch”, writing: “This is the final straw AI.”

On the other hand, Grimes is happy for people to use her voice, but has since posted a clarification on Twitter as to what circumstances would cause her to get certain AI songs taken down for copyright - where "rly rly toxic lyrics," are used with her voice.

"Ok hate this part but we may do copyright takedowns ONLY for rly rly toxic lyrics w grimes voice: imo you'd rly have to push it for me to wanna take smthn down but I guess plz don't be *the worst*. as in, try not to exit the current Overton window of lyrical content w regards to sex/violence. Like no baby murder songs plz," she wrote.

"I think I'm Streisand effecting this now but I don't wanna have to issue a takedown and be a hypocrite later. ***That's the only rule."

"Rly don't like to do a rule but don't wanna be responsible for a Nazi anthem unless it's somehow in jest a la producers I guess. y

"- wud prefer avoiding political stuff but If it's a small meme with ur friends we prob won't penalize that. Probably just if smthn is viral and anti abortion or smthn like that.

Grimes added: "Rly rly don't like adding rules so I apologize but this is the only thing."

In a follow-up tweet, the artist responded to a concern from a user warning her to "be careful" on this matter as she could "still end up in an uncomfortable situation here," where an objectionable AI song with her voice could end up "misleading people until the end of time."

To which Grimes replied: "We expect a certain amount of chaos. grimes is an art project, not a music project."

"The ultimate goal has always been to push boundaries rather than have a nice song. The point is to poke holes in the simulation and see what happens even if it's a bad outcome for us."

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