SZA Calls Out Musicians Who Support 'Disgusting' AI Music: 'Degenerate Sh*t’

SZA criticized musicians who support AI music as 'disgusting' and 'degenerate' in an Instagram Stories post, revealing that 238 of her songs were used to train AI models without her consent. The singer has previously spoken out against AI's environmental impact and its devaluation of human artistry, while other artists like Kehlani have echoed her concerns and Timbaland has embraced AI-generated music.

SZA https://www.complex.com/tag/sza is not a fan of AI music at all, and the singer let it be known in an Instagram Stories post where she called out the musicians who support it. SZA posted a screenshot of her searching her name on an AI music database to see if her work has been used to train AI models. “Just checked and music AI has trained off 238 of my songs,” the singer wrote. “I’m certain some are unreleased. If you’re a musician and you support this degenerate shit? You’re disgusting and there’s NOTHING YOU COULD EVER SAY TO ME TO MAKE THIS OKAY. I hope u have the life u deserve.” This isn’t SZA’s first time criticizing AI. Last July, SZA posted https://www.complex.com/music/a/cmplxtara-mahadevan/sza-says-ai-is-killing-black-and-brown-communities-environmental-impact on her Instagram Story about the impact that AI is having on minorities. “AI is killing and polluting Black and Brown cities,” she wrote. “None of you care cause you’re codependent on a machine. Have a great life.” Months later, SZA spoke out about the $3 million deal that AI singer Xania Monet https://www.billboard.com/pro/ai-music-artist-xania-monet-multimillion-dollar-record-deal/ signed. “Ion fw this either why devalue our music ??? Something tells me they wouldn't do this with another genre,” SZA wrote. She then asked fans not to create AI images or music that involve her. “Hey I hate AI. If you fuck w me PLEASE don't make any AI images of me or songs,” she wrote. “Ppl and children are dying from the harm n pollution AI energy centers are creating. A stupid photo is not worth polluting and harming underserved communities. Thank you.” Kehlani https://www.complex.com/tag/kehlani is also a musician who doesn’t love AI music. She responded https://www.complex.com/music/a/jadegomez510/kehlani-xenia-monet-ai to Monet’s deal on TikTok in a lengthy video. “There is an AI R&B artist who just signed a multi-million-dollar deal, and has a Top 5 R&B album, and the person is doing none of the work,” Kehlani said. “I think you guys think that AI can just be the cover for something. Which some people can use, they can make an AI cover.” “AI can also make the entire fucking song,” she continued. “It can sing the entire song. It can make the entire beat…This is so beyond out of our control. Nothing and no one on Earth will ever be able to justify AI to me.“ On the flip side, though, there are popular artists who have embraced AI in the musical process — such as Timbaland https://www.complex.com/tag/timbaland , who launched an AI-generated artist https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/timbaland-new-artist-tata-ai-1235356185/ last year. In an Instagram post revealing the artist, TaTa, Timbo addressed https://www.complex.com/music/a/treyalston/timbaland-defends-ai-artist-fan-reactions AI haters. "I know I’m trolling, but let’s have a real conversation," Timbaland wrote. "I love my independent artists. This doesn’t mean I’m not working with real artists anymore." Timbaland then dispelled the belief that the AI artist has learned from music created by real artists. "And nah I don’t train ai off y’all music," he explained. "This just means more creativity for creators."