Ice Cube says AI is 'demonic,' will get 'backlash from real people'

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Voters address concerns surrounding artificial intelligence

A bipartisan panel of voters weighed in on the future of artificial intelligence and growing concerns surrounding the potential dangers of the emerging technology. 

Rapper Ice Cube described Artificial Intelligence (AI) as being "demonic" during a recent interview and said there would be a "backlash" against it from "real people." "Full Send Podcast" host Kyle Foregeard asked Ice Cube about the industry now and what he does and doesn't like about it.

"The artists are getting lost in auto-tunes, and now that you have an AI computer. I think people don’t want a computerized rapper no more. They want to hear your voice. I don’t know any rappers by their voice no more. I used to know all the rappers just on hear their voice. Know who that is." 

He added, "So, I think they need to figure out how to put that auto-tune down, and we need to hear what people sound like and if they’re as good. Because I think AI is demonic. I think AI is gonna get a backlash from real people — real, organic people. So, I think artists need to go back to using their real voice and making sure people know this is authentic and not made from a computer," he said. 

Ice Cube and WC (not shown in picture) perform during the Once Upon A Time in LA concert at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, California, U.S., December 18, 2021.  (REUTERS/Ringo Chiu)

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An AI-generated song using Drake and The Weeknd's voices went viral in April.

The song, titled "Heart on my Sleeve," seemed to clone the two rappers' voices to create a song about Selena Gomez, The Weeknd's ex-girlfriend. The creator of the song goes by @GhostWriter on TikTok and has shared multiple videos on the account using the song.

Ice Cube also said Drake should sue the creator after Foregeard asked if Ice Cube had heard the AI-Drake song. 

"I don't wanna hear an AI Drake song," he said. "He should sue whoever made it."

"Somebody can't take your original voice and manipulate it without having to pay," he added. 

The OpenAI logo arranged on a laptop in Beijing, China, on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. The rally in Chinese artificial intelligence stocks is showing further signs of cooling amid media reports of authorities banning access to OpenAI's ChatGPT service.  (Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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"To me it's like sampling, and you know if I steal somebody's baseline, or sample, I ain't going to say steal, but if I don't pay for it that is stealing, if I sample somebody's baseline, they can come after me. No matter how much I manipulate it in the computer, change the notes and whatever, if they recognize it and it's a sample, they can come after me, so that's what the artists should do," he added.

A lawyer told Fox News Digital that artists can't copyright their style under U.S. law.

ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 19: Drake performs during Wicked (Spelhouse Homecoming Concert) Featuring 21 Savage at Forbes Arena at Morehouse College on October 19, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia.  ((Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage))

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"This comes as a surprise to many artists, but their style alone doesn’t meet the requirements for a copyright," Bryan Rotella, managing partner and senior general counsel at GenCo Legal in Tampa, told Fox News Digital. 

"Weird Al was able to do his parodies of songs under what’s called the Fair Use Doctrine where re-recordings of copyrighted work are allowable for criticism or comment," the lawyer told Fox News. "By adding and changing the lyrics … with a comedy overtone and layering them on top of the music composition, Weird Al was able to create literally a new type of musical genre."

Fox News Digital's Lauryn Overhultz and Gabrielle Reyes contributed to this report.