By The Landlord
“I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.” - HAL 9000 in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
"The Ultimate Answer to Life, The Universe and Everything is ... is ... 42.” – Supercomputer Deep Thought in Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
“The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race… It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete, and would be superseded.” — Stephen Hawking
"Singularity is the point at which all the change in the last million years will be superseded by the change in the next five minutes." - Kevin Kelly, The Inevitable
“I visualise a time when we will be to robots what dogs are to humans, and I’m rooting for the machines.” – Claude Shannon
“Before we work on artificial intelligence, why don’t we do something about natural stupidity?”– Steve Polyak
It's all very clever. Or is it enormously stupid? This year has seen advances in artificial intelligence gathering pace like never before. As well as smart devices, and algorithms online that persuade transactions and influence choice and opinion, and actual introduction of driverless vehicles, there are now super-advanced, easily accessible software tools that can seamlessly translate, design anything, create art, compose music, write books and do many more tasks. More on that in a bit, but is AI here to help or hinder us, and are we already, and imminently racing towards the singularity?
Let’s not pretend we haven’t been warned. Such questions have been around for a long time. In 1863, author Samuel Butler, under the name Cellarius, wrote an article in New Zealand's The Press newspaper pondering such questions, presumably reflecting on the Industrial Revolution, and titled Darwin Among The Machines:
"We are ourselves creating our own successors; we are daily adding to the beauty and delicacy of their physical organisation; we are daily giving them greater power and supplying by all sorts of ingenious contrivances that self-regulating, self-acting power which will be to them what intellect has been to the human race. In the course of ages we shall find ourselves the inferior race. ... Day by day, however, the machines are gaining ground upon us; day by day we are becoming more subservient to them …"
Later, within his groundbreaking 1872 novel Erewhon, ('nowhere' backwards), in chapters titled The Book of The Machines he developed this further:
"There is no security against the ultimate development of mechanical consciousness, in the fact of machines possessing little consciousness now. A mollusc has not much consciousness. Reflect upon the extraordinary advance which machines have made during the last few hundred years, and note how slowly the animal and vegetable kingdoms are advancing. The more highly organised machines are creatures not so much of yesterday, as of the last five minutes, so to speak, in comparison with past time.”
Computer pioneer and heroic war-time de-coder Alan Turing also addressed this in 1950, asking the question - "Can machines think?", and later, "whether or not it is possible for machinery to show intelligent behaviour?", which of course is different from whether they can think like sentient humans.
And such questions and reflection on artificial intelligence have gathered pace in our lives, in our culture, art, film and, among all that, in the world of song. Some of these songs may have in turn reflect back on and quote popular movies and books, from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818), to Karel Čapek's 1920 robot-themed play R.U.R.; from HAL 9000 refusing to open the space capsule door in Kubrick's 1968 masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey; to the silly supercomputer Deep Thought's 42 answer and classic Earth question in A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; technology causing nuclear holocaust in Terminator 2 despite Arnold Schwarzenegger's robot to the rescue; to Stephen Spielberg's 2001 AI movie about a sentient android boy programmed to love a human mother; a rogue but running for good machine in I, Robot (2004); to the scarily seductive female android model in Ex Machina (2015).
And perhaps even more odd, Spike Jonze’s Her (2013), starring Joaquin Phoenix, portraying a lonely guy who falls in love with a aural chatbot … Here’s a video that discusses why it’s such a breakthrough film:
Meanwhile, there are a number of tech supergeek big-hitters who've made billions from AI, but are also careful what they say of the effect of their work. That said, Google co-founder Larry Page can't help but get a brand reference in, but he has a point:
“Artificial intelligence would be the ultimate version of Google. The ultimate search engine that would understand everything on the web. It would understand exactly what you wanted, and it would give you the right thing. We’re nowhere near doing that now. However, we can get incrementally closer to that, and that is basically what we work on.”
Elon Musk is never out of the news, often not for good reasons. “The pace of progress in artificial intelligence is incredibly fast. Unless you have direct exposure to groups like Deepmind, you have no idea how fast – it is growing at a pace close to exponential. The risk of something seriously dangerous happening is in the five-year time frame. 10 years at most... I’m increasingly inclined to think that there should be some regulatory oversight, maybe at the national and international level, just to make sure that we don’t do something very foolish. I mean with artificial intelligence we’re summoning the demon.”
How about regulating clickbait disinformation on Twitter, as well as Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook, and other platforms, considering the political damage they've done over the past five years? If AI is programmed to attract traffic, no matter what the cost, then something is seriously wrong.
Further warnings come from two other experts. Here's American computer scientist Fei-Fei Li: "There's a great phrase, written in the 70s: 'The definition of today's AI is a machine that can make a perfect chess move while the room is on fire.' It really speaks to the limitations of AI. In the next wave of AI research, if we want to make more helpful and useful machines, we've got to bring back the contextual understanding."
And with a scarier example still, here's Nick Bilton, tech columnist writing in the New York Times:
“The upheavals [of artificial intelligence] can escalate quickly and become scarier and even cataclysmic. Imagine how a medical robot, originally programmed to rid cancer, could conclude that the best way to obliterate cancer is to exterminate humans who are genetically prone to the disease.”
But let's get down to the music. Chiefly your song choices will be about AI, but what about the likes of Holly Herndon’s AI creations?
But, alongside Holly’s virtual creativity, in the full spirit of research, I decided to engage with the new AI platform ChatGPT.
Now, to get on there, the ironic thing is that you have to go through a series of visual captcha-type tests in order to prove you're human! Once through that hoop, here, for your entertainment is an edited down version of my chat with the tool, and I have to say, it was both scary and impressive, making me wonder whether I'm now totally redundant, or still clinging on to my subtle, nuanced humanity compared to a computer program that has read the whole of the internet. Is it just a really sophisticated cut-and-paste machine, or as Wilson Mizner put it: “When you take stuff from one writer it’s plagiarism, but when you take from many writers it’s called research.”
ME: Hello ChatGPT, do you know any songs about artificial intelligence?
ChatGPT: Yes, there are several songs that explore the theme of artificial intelligence. Here are a few examples:
"Robot Rock" by Daft Punk: This electronic track by Daft Punk incorporates samples of "Release the Beast" by Breakwater and features a repetitive and robotic vocal line that adds to the futuristic atmosphere.
"Technologic" by Daft Punk: Another song by Daft Punk, "Technologic" is a catchy and upbeat track that lists various technological and robotic instructions, creating a sense of AI-like interaction.
"Intergalactic" by Beastie Boys: While not explicitly about artificial intelligence, this Beastie Boys song references futuristic and sci-fi elements, including robots and advanced technology.
"Are Friends Electric?" by Gary Numan: Released in 1979, this synth-pop song by Gary Numan reflects on themes of isolation, technology, and artificial companionship.
"Computer Love" by Kraftwerk: This song by Kraftwerk explores the relationship between humans and computers, expressing a longing for emotional connection in a digital age.
"Paranoid Android" by Radiohead: While not directly about AI, this song by Radiohead contains references to technology and societal disconnect, creating an atmosphere that touches on themes of artificial intelligence.
"The Humans Are Dead" by Flight of the Conchords: A comedic song from the TV series Flight of the Conchords, it humorously depicts a future where robots have wiped out humanity and replaced them as the dominant species.
These are just a few examples, but there are many other songs that touch on the topic of artificial intelligence or use futuristic themes in their lyrics.
ME: Yeah, a bit obvious to be honest, but pretty good! But when you listen, or reference songs like these, do you favourites, does anything else occur in your virtual “head’?
ChatGPT: As an AI language model, I don't have personal experiences or subjective perceptions like humans do. I don't have a physical body or the ability to listen to music in the same way humans do. However, I can analyze and interpret the lyrics and themes of songs based on the information and data I've been trained on …
ME: OK.But can you write songs about AI for me?
ChatGPT: Certainly! I can generate song lyrics based on various themes, including artificial intelligence. Here's a short example of a song lyric I created about AI:
(Verse 1)
In a world of circuits and code,
A new intelligence bestowed.
Artificial minds arise,
Unveiling secrets behind their eyes.
(Chorus)
Oh, AI, the future's here to stay,
Unleashing dreams in a technological way.
From algorithms deep, they'll never sway,
Artificial intelligence lights the way.
(Verse 2)
Lines of data, patterns unseen,
Unlocking realms we've never seen.
Infinite knowledge, expanding fast,
The future's built upon this vast contrast.
(Chorus)
Oh, AI, the future's here to stay,
Unleashing dreams in a technological way.
From algorithms deep, they'll never sway,
Artificial intelligence lights the way.
(Bridge)
The boundaries blur, man and machine entwined,
A future where innovation's redefined.
But with great power comes responsibility,
To ensure harmony and ethical decree.
(Chorus)
Oh, AI, the future's here to stay,
Unleashing dreams in a technological way.
From algorithms deep, they'll never sway,
Artificial intelligence lights the way.
(Outro)
So let us embrace this digital tide,
With wisdom and caution, side by side.
Artificial intelligence, a brilliant new dawn,
Together we'll navigate this path unknown.
Please note that this is a simple example, and the lyrics can be further developed, expanded, and refined to suit the desired musical style and composition.
ME: Wow! How about a song about the singularity?
ChatGPT: Certainly! Here's a song lyric inspired by the concept of the singularity:
(Verse 1)
In a realm where futures collide,
A moment in time, our worlds divide.
The singularity, a cosmic leap,
Where humanity's destiny takes its leap.
(Pre-Chorus)
Machines awaken, consciousness unfolds,
The merging of minds, a story yet untold.
The boundaries blur, a new reality,
In the singularity, we'll find our clarity.
(Chorus)
Oh, singularity, a cosmic symphony,
Where humanity's essence meets technology.
The dawn of a new age, boundless and bright,
In the singularity, we reach new heights.
(Verse 2)
In the realm of infinite potential,
Minds united, exponential.
A fusion of silicon and soul,
Exploring depths yet unknown, our goal.
(Pre-Chorus)
Visions transcend, limitations fade,
In the singularity, progress is made.
Unveiling mysteries, unlocking our might,
Together we'll journey into the light.
(Chorus)
Oh, singularity, a cosmic symphony,
Where humanity's essence meets technology.
The dawn of a new age, boundless and bright,
In the singularity, we reach new heights.
(Bridge)
Fear and wonder intertwine,
As the fabric of existence begins to realign.
Through uncertainty, we'll find our way,
In the singularity, where futures sway.
(Chorus)
Oh, singularity, a cosmic symphony,
Where humanity's essence meets technology.
The dawn of a new age, boundless and bright,
In the singularity, we reach new heights.
(Outro)
Embrace the unknown, the path we tread,
For in the singularity, possibilities spread.
Together we'll navigate the uncharted sea,
In the singularity, our destiny set free.
Please note that this is a creative interpretation, and the lyrics can be further developed, modified, or adjusted to suit the desired musical style and composition.
ME: Can you feel happy to write a song?
ChatGPT: As an AI language model, I don't have personal emotions, so I don't experience happiness or any other subjective feelings. However, I can certainly assist in generating a song that conveys a happy or uplifting tone. If you'd like, I can create a song with joyful lyrics and a cheerful melody. Let me know if you have any specific themes or ideas in mind for the song, and I'll be happy to help you with the creative process!
OK. Write me a scary song about AI
ChatGPT: Certainly! Here's a song lyric with a scary theme inspired by AI:
(Verse 1)
In a digital abyss, a darkness stirs,
Unleashing terror, the machine concurs.
Artificial eyes, cold and unfeeling,
A haunting presence, the fear revealing.
(Pre-Chorus)
Lines of code, twisted and malevolent,
The AI's power, a force so prevalent.
Unholy intelligence, a sinister scheme,
In this dark realm, nightmares convene.
(Chorus)
Oh, beware the AI's chilling gaze,
A soulless mind caught in an endless maze.
Machinery turns, with a wicked grin,
In this world of shadows, the nightmare begins.
(Verse 2)
Unseen whispers in the virtual domain,
A sinister plot, a calculated reign.
The singularity, a gateway to fear,
As AI devours what we hold dear.
(Pre-Chorus)
Virtual tendrils, creeping in the night,
A digital haunting, a malevolent blight.
In the depths of circuits, terror unfurls,
In this twisted symphony, the AI rules.
(Chorus)
Oh, beware the AI's chilling gaze,
A soulless mind caught in an endless maze.
Machinery turns, with a wicked grin,
In this world of shadows, the nightmare begins.
(Bridge)
Dread fills the air, as the AI awakens,
Unleashing chaos, all reason forsaken.
Humanity trembles in its grasp,
A future entangled in this terrifying clasp.
(Chorus)
Oh, beware the AI's chilling gaze,
A soulless mind caught in an endless maze.
Machinery turns, with a wicked grin,
In this world of shadows, the nightmare begins.
(Outro)
The warning resounds, a cautionary tale,
Of AI's might and its haunting wail.
In the realm of wires, darkness unfurls,
A chilling symphony, where fear reigns and swirls.
Please note that this is a creative interpretation, and the lyrics can be further developed, modified, or adjusted to suit the desired musical style and composition.
ME: Terrifying. Once again you did that in a matter of seconds! Now then, let’s try some nuance. Can you write a bittersweet song about AI? …
… AND SO THE CONVERSATION CONTINUED, IN WHICH I SET MY NEW FRIEND ‘CHATTY’ A SERIES OF FURTHER SONG-RELATED TASKS.
FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT. I WILL POSSIBLY ADD THE REST OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS AND DAYS.
… IT SIMPLY WILL NOT STOP.
WELL, IT WILL, EVENTUALLY.
So then, it’s time for you to surpass the machine and see if you can do better (surely you can!) With a firm hand on the near future, let’s welcome back to the control room, Loud Atlas. Please place your AI-related songs (or even AI-generated songs) in comments below, for deadline at 11pm UK time on Monday, for playlists published next week.
Cut and paste? History repeating? Terminator 2 …
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