Harvey Mason, CEO of the Recording Academy, responsible for the annual Grammy Awards, recently affirmed that music incorporating AI-created elements is viable for award nominations.

As the music sector grapples with artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly permeating its productions, the Grammys have clarified that music produced with AI assistance will be deemed eligible for awards starting 2024.

On July 4, Mason, CEO and president of the Recording Academy, communicated in an AP interview:

“Music that incorporates AI-generated elements is unquestionably qualified for entry and consideration for a Grammy nomination. No doubt.”

He emphasized that the Academy wouldn’t award a Grammy or a nomination to the AI component of a track. If, for instance, an AI voice model executes the lead vocals, the track might qualify in the songwriting category but not in the performance category, and vice versa, AP reported.

This is due to the fact that “the performer isn’t a human creation,” Mason clarified, according to AP. He expressed that as long as the human contribution is greater and significant, it will “invariably” be regarded. As it stands, the Academy asserts that it will not confer awards directly to AI.

“We aren’t aiming for technology to supplant human creativity. We aspire for technology to enhance, adorn, or augment human creativity.”

Mason’s elucidations came following the organization’s amendment of its rules and eligibility criteria on June 28, stating that “a work devoid of human authorship is ineligible across all categories.”

AI has seen a significant upsurge since the advent and ubiquity of AI chatbot ChatGPT in November 2022.

Several artists, including Grimes, have embraced this technology, with Grimes stating she’d share 50% of royalties with creators who use her voice track in a successful song.

Conversely, Ice Cube, a rapper renowned for his work with N.W.A. in the late 80s and early 90s, decried AI as demonic and threatened to sue anyone mimicking his voice on AI tracks and the platforms hosting the song.

Mason revealed that the Grammys have been extensively deliberating the inclusion or exclusion of AI, and even convened a summit with industry leaders on AI’s future in music.

Anticipating that the technology will feature prominently in numerous records and songs this year, he disclosed that, merely two days following the announcement of the new Grammy rules, Paul McCartney disclosed that “the last Beatles record” was produced with AI extractions of John Lennon’s voice.

The Recording Academy, when approached by Cointelegraph for further commentary, did not promptly respond.