For many people, playing an instrument is a core part of their being. Yet for musician and guitarist Samuel Smith, his world came crashing down on him when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s five years ago. Unable to play his beloved guitar, Smith has since found a new way to get his music out - using artificial intelligence tools like Suno.⁣ ⁣ Using these technologies, he is able to get the melodies that he is no longer able to play, out into the open.⁣ ⁣ Nevertheless, the rapid growth of realistic AI music generation has also triggered legal disputes across the music industry: in June 2024, record labels including Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Records filed lawsuits in the United States accusing Suno and Udio of training AI systems using copyrighted recordings without permission.⁣ ⁣ For Smith however, who insists his AI demos often require repeated attempts and significant editing, and says the demos are used as musical guides for session musicians who lat...