As researchers and engineers continue to push the envelope when it comes to artificial intelligence and its possible applications, AI technology seems to just keep getting smarter. The latest report from NBC News also suggests that AI is getting more creative, and that use cases relating to the arts and humanities aren’t outside of its wheelhouse.
Lately, AI has impacted the world of classical music. Many music lovers have long wondered why Austrian composer Franz Schubert seemingly abandoned his Symphony No. 8 after writing only two movements; with almost 200 years since his death, the piece was thought to be doomed to be incomplete forever.
That is, until, LA-based composer Lucas Cantor was approached by Huawei with an idea based on an AI app that Chinese tech company had developed. Cantor said he “jumped at the chance” to help train the software to learn to write style-specific compositions, which he and Huawei engineers did by feeding it around 2,000 pieces of Schubert’s music.
The result meant the AI could learn to think like the 19th century composer, and it eventually began producing a series of new possible melodies for completing the unfinished symphony. Cantor then served as a curator, selecting the melody that he would eventually flesh out into a full movement.
And while the story offers an interesting look at the capabilities of AI, some will certainly find it to be a little offputting. Is music created by a machine still music?
However you feel about the issue, the authors of the NBC News piece remind us that, at its foundation, “even the most beautiful music is, ultimately, just code.”