Taylor Swift on Why Human-Made Music Endures: ‘We Are Still Winning’

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Taylor Swift has shared her thoughts on what makes human-made music special amid the growing role of artificial intelligence in the music industry.

During a virtual press conference promoting “I Knew It, I Knew You,” the former “The Voice” mentor, 36, said human creativity still connects with listeners in ways technology cannot.

“If I look back at the past year in music, there are two perfect albums that I love and keep returning to: Olivia Dean’s and Rosalía’s,” Swift said, via Vanity Fair Spain.

Taylor Swift Appreciates Human-Made Music

Swift, who married Travis Kelce, 37, went on to describe Rosalía’s “Lux” as an ambitious, expansive album rooted in the singer’s life experiences. She also praised Dean’s “The Art of Loving,” calling it “a warm hug” that she listens to “constantly, in almost any situation.”

“These records are wonderful because they are human, they are made by people and they deal with the human experience. That’s why we, as human beings, connect with them,” Swift added.

The singer continued, “When human beings create something so extraordinary, I think that should elevate and inspire the rest of us. It should also make us feel that we really are still winning. Human beings are still winning at this.”

Taylor Swift’s Stance on AI

Swift also reflected on how the music industry has evolved over her 20-year career. Although she did not mention AI directly, her comments on human-made music come as she takes steps to protect her voice and likeness from potential misuse of the technology.

In April, Swift filed trademark applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for two audio clips of her saying “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” and “Hey, it’s Taylor,” along with an image of her performing onstage with a pink guitar.

The applications could provide Swift with additional legal options to challenge unauthorized uses of her voice and likeness as AI technology becomes more advanced and widespread.

“By registering specific phrases tied to her voice, Swift could potentially challenge not only identical reproductions, but also imitations that are ‘confusingly similar,’ a key standard in trademark law,” trademark lawyer Josh Gerben wrote in his blog.

He continued, “Theoretically, if a lawsuit were to be filed over an AI using Swift’s voice, she could claim that any use of her voice that sounds like the registered trademark violates her trademark rights.”

“Same with the image filing. If someone creates an AI-generated version of Taylor in a jumpsuit with a guitar, or something close to it, now Swift has a federal trademark claim.”