AI-Assisted Songwriting — Best Practices & Key Considerations

Summary

This research paper emerged directly from my work leading Berklee’s AI Club, where I engaged with hundreds of students, faculty members, and senior leaders across Boston’s creative and academic ecosystem. Through panels, workshops, and informal conversations, a consistent pattern became clear: while opinions about AI in music were strong, many artists and educators lacked access to clear, structured, and trustworthy resources to form informed perspectives.

This paper seeks to bridge that gap. Written in collaboration with George Lanchoney and advised by Professor Jonathan Wyner — former President of the Audio Engineering Society and Head of Artistic Technology Initiatives at Berklee’s Emerging Artistic Technology Lab (BEATL) — the research examines how generative AI tools are currently entering professional music workflows, and how they can be used responsibly without compromising authorship, artistic integrity, or long-term sustainability.

Our work combines industry analysis, platform evaluation, and applied creative frameworks, drawing from firsthand observation, institutional dialogue, and direct engagement with emerging AI music companies. My primary contribution focused on the paper’s foundational section, which outlines a set of core philosophical and ethical principles for human-centered AI use — framing AI as an interpreter of creative intent rather than an author of artistic meaning.

Rather than advocating for or against specific technologies, the paper emphasizes agency, transparency, and informed choice. It proposes practical guidelines that allow musicians, educators, and institutions to assess AI tools based on ethical design, environmental impact, data sourcing, community engagement, and long-term implications for creative labor.

At its core, this research reflects my broader interest in how technical systems shape creative behavior, cultural norms, and educational practice. It treats AI not as an abstract innovation, but as a socio-technical system that must be understood, questioned, and designed in dialogue with the communities it affects.