boAthead Jasleen Royal Contests AI With ‘Smart But Not Art’ On World Music Day

EE News Desk Jun 21, 2024

With this campaign, boAt champions the unwavering spirit of human creativity in music

As the world celebrates World Music Day, the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the creative process has sparked significant controversy and debate, reflecting broader concerns about technology's impact on human creativity and artistic expression. But does it really? The ‘Smart, but not Art’ campaign by boAt aims to reassure artists of all stripes that AI, while powerful, cannot replace the human touch that breathes life into music.

The centrepiece of the campaign is a video featuring singer Jasleen Royal. In a timed pressure test, Royal will face off against an AI coding expert, both tasked with writing an extended version of her hit song ‘Heeriye’. While the AI, guided by the coder, analyses data to craft technically sound lyrics, Royal will draw on her emotions, experience, and raw talent to create a song that resonates with the soul.

The video concludes with a thought-provoking question: ‘Who is the better lyricist?’ This serves to illustrate the campaign's central message: AI may be adept at processing information, but it lacks the ability to capture the essence of human emotion that defines true art. Complementing the video, a series of influencer activations will see prominent figures holding placards across the city, particularly near tech offices and IT parks. These placards will highlight the limitations of AI tools, emphasising that AI can never replicate the emotional depth conveyed by a singer through their lyrics. Real artists can feel and express these emotions in a way that AI simply cannot.

"’Smart, but not Art’ is not about diminishing the potential of AI," says a boAt spokesperson. "Instead, we want to celebrate the irreplaceable role of human creativity in music. AI can be a powerful tool, but it's the artist's heart and soul that truly connects with listeners."

“Through ‘Smart, but not Art’, we invite the global community to celebrate the enduring power of human creativity and reaffirm our commitment to supporting artists in their journey of self-expression,” he added.