Imogen Heap Launches AI Music Tools With AI Platform Jen

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Grammy-winning musician and producer Imogen Heap has now made available a collection of AI song creation tools via the AI-driven music platform Jen, as revealed by both parties on Thursday. This announcement comes several months following the disclosure of their collaboration which was made towards the end of last year.

On Thursday, I added five distinct “style filters” to Jen’s collection, which now includes the tracks “Headlock,” “Goodnight and Go,” “Just For Now,” “Last Night of an Empire,” and “What Have You Done to Me.” These tracks are now open for users to utilize as a foundation for generating new AI-created songs.

(Here, I’ve made it sound like the person is sharing their own actions in a casual, conversational manner.)

Stylefilters allow users to input text-based prompts into Jen’s system, describing the desired type of song they want to create. By combining these descriptions with any chosen Heap song, Jen generates a new track that captures the essence of the selected stylefilter tune. Each of Heap’s stylefilters can be bought for $4.99, or for a stronger effect, users can opt for the $7.99 version. With this purchase, users gain access to up to 90 minutes of song creations that they are free to utilize as they wish, except for using them to train AI models. The company plans to introduce stylefilters from other artists in the coming months, though they have not yet disclosed which artists will participate or when these new offerings will be launched.

Artist Heap, known for utilizing technology to innovate and explore new artistic territories, shares with The Hollywood Reporter that she collaborated with Jen because she recognizes the permanence of technology. Heap expresses a desire to actively shape how AI interacts with her work, rather than passively allowing others to make those decisions.

If you’re thinking of turning a blind eye to AI, I must disappoint you – it’s here and it’s not going anywhere. Instead, we should learn to coexist with this technology. And the key to that lies in what we do best: engaging ourselves. Artists like us have a crucial role to play. We can’t let the decisions about AI be made solely by those who seek profit or personal gain.

During the Web Summit held in Portugal last November, Jen initially unveiled their partnership. This innovative platform was jointly established by music-tech executive Shara Senderoff and Mike Caren, who is also the founder of Artist Partner Group, a record label and publishing company. Each stylefilter used in Jen is specifically trained on its own original composition, as stated.

Jen distinguishes itself as an ethically-minded entity in the field of AI music creation, emphasizing that its software is exclusively trained using music for which it has obtained proper licenses. Unlike many other AI companies, Jen avoids the practice of training their models on unauthorized content, a common occurrence among competitors who argue that AI generation falls under the umbrella of ‘fair use’. However, this argument has been met with legal challenges in the music industry; two prominent AI music generators, Suno and Udio, were sued by major record labels over allegations of using thousands of unlicensed songs to power their AI technology.

According to Senderoff, paying artists upfront for their filter designs could speed up payment processing significantly. Moreover, due to the strict regulations in obtaining licenses for their products, Jen can take advantage of this situation to create a more robust data and monitoring system compared to what the current music industry offers.

Senderoff states to THR that he feels he’s venturing into uncharted waters, or a ‘blue ocean’. He emphasizes that his approach is unique, not mimicking others. This venture offers a chance to revolutionize the way music creation is monetized. A significant distinction lies in the fact that he’s already licensed and completed the work. His priority is ensuring fair compensation for the original creators. By maintaining integrity throughout this process, Senderoff aims to establish a new standard for how such endeavors should be handled.

Currently, Jen is focused on creating instrumental music. However, Senderoff anticipates that Jen will introduce a vocal product down the line.

Heap chose to collaborate exclusively with Jen and Senderoff as they were “the only ones carrying out their work in an ethical manner, and I made a point of searching extensively for such partners.

Heap suggests that many individuals tend to make bold moves before they fully understand the situation. While this might be effective temporarily, he believes it won’t last in the long run because if you don’t compensate those who produce music financially, you’ll eventually find yourself in a barren landscape.

When asked where she draws the line with AI creations, Heap says it’s mainly about proper credit.

She explains, ‘If my music carries a feeling or idea that’s being shared with the world, it’s about being acknowledged for it.’ At this moment, this is the only way I can express myself on Earth, and I hope it remains so. It goes beyond earning more money or getting some extra income. It’s about being recognized and credited for my work.

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2025-04-24 17:25