Country singer Randy Travis, who has been unable to speak or sing properly since his 2013 stroke, has released a new song. However, the vocals were not performed by Travis himself. Instead, they were created using AI software and a surrogate singer. The song, titled "Where That Came From, " embodies the sentimental and folksy style that I adored as a child when Travis was at the peak of his fame. The producers utilized an unnamed AI model, which was trained using 42 isolated recordings of Travis' vocals. Under the guidance of Travis and his long-time producer Kyle Lehning, country singer James DuPre contributed the vocals that were later transformed into Travis' voice by the AI. Apart from being available on YouTube, the song can also be found on popular streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify. Warner's experiment resulted in a smooth melody that captures Travis' laid-back style, which predominantly revolves around his deep baritone voice.

It reminds me of those songs that lingered on the charts long enough for me to gather the courage and ask a girl to dance at a middle school event. While it may not be one of Travis' greatest hits, I must admit that I quite like it. Dustin Ballard, the creative mind behind the various iterations of the There I Ruined It social media account, follows a similar approach to Travis' team for his AI voice parodies. He creates amusing mash-ups like AI Elvis Presley singing "Baby Got Back" or a synthetic Johnny Cash rendition of "Barbie Girl. " It would be easy to raise concerns about this particular song or Ballard's creations and proclaim the demise of human-made music as we know it. However, I believe it has the opposite effect, emphasizing the potential of tools like AI voice cloning in the right hands. Whether one enjoys the song or not, it is undeniable that such results cannot be achieved through casual experimentation. Cris Lacy, Co-president of Warner Music Nashville, mentioned during a CBS Sunday Morning interview that AI voice cloning sites produce imitations of artists like Travis that may not "sound real, because it’s not. " She referred to the label's use of AI to clone Travis' voice as "AI for good. " Currently, Warner has limited authority over AI clones that do not qualify as "AI for good. " However, Tennessee's recently passed ELVIS Act, which becomes effective on July 1st, grants labels the ability to take legal action against those who use software to recreate an artist's voice without permission.