From reimagining 1973 album Quadrophenia as a rock ballet to his function as The Who’s chief lyricist, Pete Townshend is at all times engaged on new tasks. In actual fact, he admits he’s in all probability obtained 450 items of unfinished music mendacity round – and he’s not averse to utilizing AI to assist his artistic exploits.

Townshend has just lately mentioned that he wouldn’t shrink back from utilizing AI to assist end off tracks. “I’ve managed to wade by about half of [my unfinished music],” he tells The Late Present’s host, Stephen Colbert. “What’s attention-grabbing is… I don’t know what to do with it! I’m fairly thinking about AI [to see what it makes of it].”

Whereas some artists are adamantly in opposition to using AI, Townshend is open to the thought. “I’m fairly thinking about [using it to rework] a few of my outdated songs that didn’t fairly work,” he explains. “I didn’t get them proper first time spherical…”

“[If I put stuff] onto Suno or some AI music machine, [I could see] what it may well make of it,” he continues. “There could be some hits!”

As intrigued as Townshend is by the brand new expertise, Colbert then reminds us of the controversial facet of utilizing (and inadvertently coaching) AI software program like Suno. He mentions music that’s “doing very effectively” that’s completely “by robots” – a problem that has been detracting consideration from real bands.

Lately, Welsh rockers Holding Absence have spoken out about AI’s affect on the business. Again in September, singer Lucas Woodland posted on X to debate AI band Bleeding Verse, which cites Holding Absence as considered one of its ‘inspirations. “So, an AI ‘band’ who cite us as an affect (ie, it’s modelled off our music) have simply overtaken us on Spotify, in solely two months,” he wrote.

“It’s surprising, it’s disheartening, it’s insulting – most significantly – it’s a wake-up name,” he continues, earlier than urging listeners to “oppose AI music, or bands like us cease present”.

So, an AI “band” who cite us as an affect (ie, it’s modelled off our music) have simply overtaken us on Spotify, in solely TWO months.

It’s surprising, it’s disheartening, it’s insulting – most significantly – it’s a get up name.

Oppose AI music, or bands like us cease present.

— Lu (@Lucaswoodland) September 30, 2025

It’s not the primary time Townshend has entertained the potential of utilizing AI in his work. Talking to The Occasions again in March, he mentioned [via Guitar World]: “It’s a super irritation to Who followers that I don’t simply keep on with the outdated catalogue and do it till I die… If I informed AI, ‘Write a load of Pete Townshend songs like he used to in 1973,’ lots of followers can be actually happy”.

Again in 2023, nonetheless, the Who legend was far much less keen about AI. Whereas he did be aware that it may function a “useful” software, he feared its takeover. “With respect to AI, I’m hopeful… however I feel, when it turns into what drives the machine, then we’ve to watch out,” he informed the Damaged Report Podcast.

He was significantly terrified of AI taking up the “inventive” realm. “I feel, by this time subsequent yr, the panorama will probably be utterly totally different,” he predicted. “We received’t know which approach is up, we received’t know what’s been created by AI and what’s been created by people.”

“All the pieces goes to get very blurred and really complicated, and I feel we would look again on 2023 because the final yr when people actually dominated the music scene,” he concluded. “I actually assume it could possibly be that critical, and that doesn’t fill me with pleasure. It makes me really feel apprehensive, and I’m making ready to really feel unhappy about this.”