Human-Artificial Intelligence (AI) Collaboration and Aesthetic Abstraction in Music: A Transdisciplinary Analysis of I AM AI (2018) and PROTO (2019)

Introduction: This paper examines computer-generated art (CG-art) in the musical domain, diverging from the predominant focus of research on artificial intelligence (AI) generated images. Objective: To analyse two albums, I AM AI (2018) and PROTO (2019), produced with Artificial Intelligence (AI) under contrasting collaboration models. The former employs AI to generate instrumental stems complemented by human vocals, while the latter features AI-generated synthetic vocals layered over human-composed arrangements. Methods: Using a transdisciplinary framework (Cognitive Science, Art Theory and Computer Science), this article assesses the status, the human-machine aesthetic evaluation, the AI’s creative potential, and the inorganic abstraction in the creative process of Taryn Southern’s I AM AI and Holly Herndon’s PROTO. Results: Both albums integrate AI significantly; however, neither qualifies as AI-generated artworks. The Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) used lack creative autonomy, functioning solely as instrumental tools without intrinsic algorithmic self-evaluation. Conclusions: These long-play records (LPs) are collaborative creations where AI serves as a tool with passive and hybrid aesthetic capabilities. Ultimately, the aesthetic realization of these works relies on human emotional projection, contrasting with the non-emotional and inorganic abstraction characteristic of the algorithms involved.