Fender CEO responds to backlash after comparing cover bands to AI: “Great songs are born out of people’s lives – something no machine can ever replicate”

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Fender CEO Edward “Bud” Cole has addressed the backlash against his comments concerning AI after they were re-circulated last month. During a conversation with T3 earlier this year, Cole likened cover bands to a form of “analog AI”. “I had a conversation a few months ago about AI in music,” Cole says. “Many of the concerns people have about AI are real,” Cole continues in his Fast Company statement. However, while Cole does recognize the innate human aspect of music, he doesn’t directly address his comments specifically on cover music.