Photo Credit: Madonna by David Shankbone / CC by 3.0
Madonna called the use of AI “the complete opposite of making art,” saying she likes to step away from social distractions when creating new music.
During a recent interview with Vogue Italia, Madonna took a jab at the rise of artificial intelligence and social media algorithms in the realm of creating art, saying that relying on AI tools is “the complete opposite of making art.”
“Today, to get a record deal, you think about how many followers you have. That’s why in Bring Your Love, I say, ‘Don’t try to distract me with numbers,’ because I started without thinking about the charts, the streaming. Working only in terms of algorithms and artificial intelligence doesn’t allow you to take risks, which is the complete opposite of making art,” Madonna told the outlet.
It’s worth noting that when Madonna was coming up as a new artist, social media and the algorithms associated with it didn’t yet exist. However, there’s certainly something to be said for finding inspiration for one’s art outside of the expectation associated with digital metrics and follower counts.
“Once, you were around painters and musicians and dancers and artists in one place and working from a very pure place for each other. I value that experience a lot,” she said, adding that she completely steps away from technology and other social distractions when hoping to spark inspiration for new music.
“Lately it’s been hard because of my record and so many things connected to it. But I do like to take breaks […] and disappear. Because that’s how you fuel your imagination,” explained Madonna. “You have to have stillness and you have to have days where you’re just connecting to nature.”
It’s not the first time Madonna has spoken out against the ills that come with social media. At the premiere of her movie, Confessions II – The Film, she said that social media has instilled in people a “persistent need” to document everything,” encouraging fans in attendance to “put your fucking phones down.”
Meanwhile, in the realm of artists speaking out against AI, SZA recently lambasted generative music-creation platforms, specifically calling out Suno and the artists who use such tech—though she’s far from the only artist to take a stance on AI.
