Sound designCreative Use of AI in Sound and Music: Our Research

Few topics divide creative people like generative AI. Some see a new instrument, others see a threat to their livelihood. Our founder, Atharva Bankar, set out to look at the question properly in his research paper, Creative Use of Generative AI in Sound and Music. This post shares the main ideas and what they mean for creators.

The question behind the research

The paper asks whether generative AI will impede or completely replace human creativity, and how useful it can really be in sound and music. It also asks harder questions: to what extent can we use AI creatively, does it actually enhance creativity, and will it be affordable and accessible to everyone?

The starting point is simple. Humans have always created song lyrics, beats, rhythm, recordings and mixes. AI can now write lyrics from a short brief and generate beats from a given BPM and genre. The real question is whether that output is as good as human work, and if it is, what happens next.

What the literature says

The research is a literature review drawing on papers, articles, journals and books, with searches across Google Scholar, Scopus and digital libraries. Several themes stand out:

• Creativity as novel and valuable ideas. The paper uses Margaret Boden’s definition and looks at how computer creativity has moved from early doubts to real results.
• Humans as evaluators. Research suggests that as AI generates more ideas, people increasingly act as gatekeepers who judge the creative process, an area where humans keep an advantage.
• Real tools in use. Examples include BandLab’s loop suggestions, Endel’s personalised soundtracks for focus, relaxation and sleep, and the AI-assisted restoration of John Lennon’s voice from a 1978 demo for a new Beatles song.
• Open legal and ethical questions. These include AI covers made without the original creator’s permission and the use of AI to regenerate the voices of singers who have died.

What creative people told us

The study included a survey of 21 participants working or studying in sound and music, such as singers, songwriters and music producers. The responses were gathered through a Google Form and analysed in a spreadsheet. The main findings were:

1. Artists are willing to use generative AI in sound and music to some extent.
2. Some singers and songwriters worry they may be partially replaced, and feel they must keep up with the technology.
3. Most respondents felt human creativity has a unique value that AI cannot fully replicate.
4. Many believe laws and ethics should govern generative AI to avoid copyright problems.
5. Artistic respondents expect proper use of AI to lead to co-creation that benefits the artistic world, while the more technically advanced respondents were doubtful that generative AI increases creativity.

With only 21 responses, this is a snapshot of opinion, not a final verdict. It is still a useful picture of how working creatives feel.

The conclusion: a balanced partnership

The paper argues that AI will not fully replace human creativity in sound and music. Music evokes emotion, tells stories and connects people through lived experience and cultural context. It also calls for ethical integration, with technologists, artists, legal experts and policymakers working together on questions of copyright, authenticity and cultural identity. It highlights the need for artists to build skills and understanding so they can thrive alongside these tools.

How this shapes our studio

Research is one thing; client work is another. At The Richmond Studios, AI helps with marketing and admin only. All client audio is edited and mixed by real engineers, never by AI. That covers dialogue editing, sound design, mixing and mastering, restoration and immersive formats such as Dolby Atmos.

If you make videos, podcasts or short-form content, our CreatorSonic service offers clean-up and fixing, platform-optimised mixing, sound effects, intros and jingles, with files shared in an NDA-protected folder. Atharva brings more than six years in sound design, audio engineering and post-production, 24+ productions in multiple languages, and a Master’s in Audio Production from the University of Westminster to every project.

Read the full paper

The complete research, Creative Use of Generative AI in Sound and Music, is available on Atharva’s ResearchGate profile. If you would like a real engineer to look after your sound, visit the CreatorSonic page or get in touch through the Contact page.