{"slug": "dr-dre-calls-out-closet-ai-producers-who-use-the-tech-but-just-don-t-want-to-it", "title": "Dr. Dre Calls Out 'Closet AI Producers' Who Use the Tech but 'Just Don't Want To Admit It'", "summary": "Dr. Dre said in an interview with Jimmy Iovine that he uses AI as a creative tool and called out 'closet AI producers' who use the technology but won't admit it, comparing resistance to AI to the rejection of drum machines and synthesizers. The hip-hop legend, who co-founded Beats Electronics with Iovine, said AI is 'a new tool for creativity' and that 'the only people that see it as a threat are the people who have trouble creating.' His comments drew backlash from fans and musicians, while Spotify plans to introduce AI-Persona badges in September to flag artists pretending to be real individuals.", "body_md": "# Dr. Dre Calls Out 'Closet AI Producers' Who Use the Tech but 'Just Don't Want To Admit It'\n\n## Hip-hop legend Dr. Dre champions AI as a creative tool, sparking debate in the music industry\n\nHip-hop artist Dr. Dre has been vocal about using AI in his creative process, encouraging others to 'embrace' it as a tool. His stance comes in the midst of massive pushback against the use of AI in creative endeavours, but Dr. Dre doubled down on promoting the new technology.\n\nDr. Dre– whose real name is Andre Romell Young– rose to fame in the late 1980s as part of the gangsta rap group NWA, whose members included Ice Cube and Arabian Prince, among others. In the years since, Dr. Dre founded Aftermath Records and signed artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Silk Sonic and Rakim.\n\nDr. Dre works closely with Jimmy Iovine, who co-founded Beats Electronics with him. The consumer electronics company was acquired by Apple in 2014 for $3 billion (£2.2 billion). Both of them view AI as a good development, saying gifted people 'make better records' with AI but acknowledge that AI companies have 'the worst public relations'.\n\n## Dr. Dre Thinks Anti-AI Artists 'Are Afraid of Learning New Things'\n\nIn a recent interview, Dr. Dre and Iovine elaborated on their pro-AI stance. Dr. Dre said that he doesn't see the technology as a threat, adding, 'I think the only people that see it as a threat are the people who have trouble creating.'\n\nWhen recalling conversations he had with people who were against AI, he compared their resistance to those who rejected drum machines and synthesisers when they were first released. 'It's a new tool for creativity. Some people are afraid of learning new things. I'm embracing it. I can't wait to see what's going to happen with this.'\n\nHe also confirmed that AI is an active component of his music making process, but only used to alter or iterate on material he has already created. 'Yes, I'm using it. Again, as a tool to see what it would do with what I just did,' he continued.\n\nIovine noted that many producers use the technology in their work but don't want the public to know that they are doing so, calling them '[closet AI producers](https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/dr-dre-ai-music-producer-closet-ai-producers-1815823)'. Dr. Dre added, 'That's a good way to put it. They're using it, they just don't want to admit it.'\n\nRapper T.I. had his stance on AI changed by Dr. Dre. T.I. was 'emphatically against' AI use until Dr. Dre had a conversation with him about it and shared how he implemented the technology into his process.\n\n'He was like, 'No, it's still work. You still have to work, be talented, and have programming to do what you want it to do. It's just an advantage',' T.I recalled. 'I kind of understood.'\n\n## The Music Industry's Response to AI\n\nWhile Dr. Dre's stance on AI is positive, its use in creative industries is subject to backlash. Responses to Dr. Dre's comments were far from gracious.\n\nA user posted their disappointment on X: 'When a literal production legend like Dr. Dre starts advocating for AI music, you know we're cooked. Sad times for the culture‼️💔'\n\nA musician, Jacques Slade, posted: 'Yesterday, Dr Dre was a legend and revered. Today, after revealing he uses AI and views it as a new tool for creativity when making music, he is now an 'old head' and anyone that listens to him is the problem. Crazy work.'\n\nHowever, music platforms are still integrating the technology into their systems. Spotify started using AI-generated summaries for music tracks, but is planning on implementing AI-Persona badges on artists that pretend to be real individuals this September. The streaming platform also added AI Credits for artists to flag certain aspects of a song's production as generated by AI.\n\nIf implemented properly, these could address Dr. Dre's complaint about 'closet' AI producers– and subject them to the same backlash he faces today.\n\n© Copyright IBTimes 2026. All rights reserved.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/dr-dre-calls-out-closet-ai-producers-who-use-the-tech-but-just-don-t-want-to-it", "canonical_source": "https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/dr-dre-advocates-ai-music-creation-1815953", "published_at": "2026-08-24 16:14:58+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-08-24 17:15:32.411578+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["generative-ai", "ai-ethics"], "entities": ["Dr. Dre", "Jimmy Iovine", "Beats Electronics", "Apple", "T.I.", "Spotify", "NWA", "Aftermath Records"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/dr-dre-calls-out-closet-ai-producers-who-use-the-tech-but-just-don-t-want-to-it", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/dr-dre-calls-out-closet-ai-producers-who-use-the-tech-but-just-don-t-want-to-it.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/dr-dre-calls-out-closet-ai-producers-who-use-the-tech-but-just-don-t-want-to-it.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/dr-dre-calls-out-closet-ai-producers-who-use-the-tech-but-just-don-t-want-to-it.jsonld"}}