The implementation of AI tools in the music-making process has become a lot more prevalent in recent years.
So much so that artists and songs that are entirely AI-generated have earned prominent positions on major Billboard charts and have gone viral on Spotify. Some examples of those occurrences include Xania Monet’s “How Was Your Day?” becoming the first AI act to appear on a Billboard chart, Breaking Rust’s “Walk My Walk” topping the Billboard Country Digital Song Sales Chart and The Velvet Sundown’s “Dust on the Wind” going number one on the Spotify Viral 50 playlist in the UK, Norway and Sweden.
AI is playing a bigger role in creating music nowadays and some of music’s most recognizable personalities have made their stances clear on the controversial practice. One of those major names is Dr. Dre, who certainly ruffled the feathers of his most ardent fans during a recent interview with The New York Times.
Here’s what the world-renowned rap/hip-hop producer had to say about AI recently being implemented more often to create music.
Some musical personalities love it, while others hate it
While speaking alongside his longtime business partner Jimmy Iovine, Dr. Dre stated that he recognizes AI as something that can alter something he created entirely on his own.
He primarily uses it “as a tool to see what would do with what I just did” and also pointed to fellow producer Timbaland as someone else who also embraces AI being used to produce music. More interestingly, Dre alluded to “a lot of closet producers out there” that do what he and Timbaland do but don’t publicly admit to it.
All in all, Dre sees AI as the next evolution in music. “I think the only people that see it as a threat are the people who have trouble creating,” he noted. “It’s a new tool for creativity. Some people are afraid of learning new things.”
DJ Quik, one of Dre’s contemporaries and a fellow California-born producer, has an entirely different outlook on AI tools being involved in making music, as evidenced by the interview clip posted below:
DJ Quik says AI is a total violation of culture:"It's a total violation of culture. It's appropriation. You can't recreate somebody that's still here doing what they do.Don't use my stuff because I know that computer is not gonna have my nuances. I watch AI programs on… https://t.co/mC4oqnTtRv pic.twitter.com/NWx1BtS7bvAugust 23, 2026
Other music producers have provided their perspectives on AI becoming more relied upon to make music. Diplo dropped a tweet explaining his embrace of the technology (which got plenty of negative feedback from most folks who came across it):
if you are a creative you need to adapt or just like give up and become an uber driver until everyone has a waymo. I know it’s not cool or classy to speak like this but i’m not gonna candy coat the future - it is what it is . sorry for bad new’s my purist . there will always need… https://t.co/SXswII51wvApril 14, 2026
While speaking with MusicRadar, Flying Lotus made it clear that up-and-coming producers should encompass more instrument playing as AI music continues to rise. “Play an instrument,” he said. “Don’t forget to play your s**t. More and more, as we are getting into the world of Suno and one-click music, the playing will be more valuable. People will want to go and see human music, to see people performing and playing. So play your instrument, don’t forget your instrument, now more than ever.”
Jack Antonoff is not fond of the AI music trend—he made his stance quite clear in a lengthy Instagram blog post. Antonoff didn’t mince words when he described creating music as “a holy process” and those who use AI to create it as nothing more than “Godless w****s.” He continued his fiery rant by proclaiming, “So to everyone who is gassed up about the new ways you can fake making art, by all means drive right off that cliff.”
Rapper Tyga’s name has made the rounds as of late due to some less-than-stellar reviews for his latest album “$tarface,” which features AI-generated synthesizer elements. While speaking with Vibe, Tyga compared AI tools in music to the adoption of Auto-Tune: “And I know people are going to be mad about me saying this, but it’s where technology is going. It’s no different than when Auto-Tune came out. Some people were opposed to it, but real artists took it and used it.”
Final thoughts
The likes of Dre, Diplo, Will.i.am, and Timbaland are more open to the use of AI tools to help them in their music-making process. On the other end of the spectrum, DJ Quik, Flying Lotus, Jack Antonoff and R&B singer/songwriter SZA aren’t all that keen on the trending technology making its way deeper into music creation.
As for me? AI music is not really my vibe — I’ll always have a place on my playlist for artists who keep using their real voice, real instruments and real producers to make their works of art.
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