Musical Intertextuality and AI
Music has always been shaped by co-creation—artists working with ideas from others or their own past works. AI fits naturally into this tradition. It doesn't replace musicians or start a new era; it simply extends the collaborative ways we've always made music.
In my chapter "Musikalische Intertextualität und Künstliche Intelligenz" (from the book "Künstliche Intelligenz der Töne: Ethik und Ästhetik digitaler Musikkultur"), I explore how music has always been shaped by co-creation—artists working with ideas from others or their own past works. I show that AI fits naturally into this tradition. It doesn't replace musicians or start a new era; it simply extends the collaborative ways we've always made music.
I connect this idea to older theories by thinkers like Barthes and Foucault, who questioned the idea of the lone genius. Today, music is often created by networks of people—and now also by AI. Like DJs who remix existing songs, or composers like Beethoven and Boulez who constantly revised their pieces, AI can help generate ideas, assist with composition, or even co-create full sections of music.
In the end, I argue that using AI in music is a step forward, not a break from the past. It opens up new creative possibilities but still depends on the artist's vision and control. AI adds to the ongoing conversation between musicians and the musical tradition—without replacing the human voice at its heart.
Many thanks to Michael Schmidt for inviting me to contribute to this insightful and timely volume.
Künstliche Intelligenz der Töne: Ethik und Ästhetik digitaler Musikkultur, ed. Michael Schmidt
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