Fear Factory guitarist Dino Cazares has weighed in on the growing impact of artificial intelligence in the music industry, emphasizing the need for musicians to embrace new technologies rather than resist them. According to an interview published on Heavy Metal On Line, Cazares outlined how AI programs are already reshaping how artists can monetize their work.
“Well, we’re gonna have to learn how to adapt, and some of the A.I. music programs have,” Cazares said. “So, basically, you could sell the rights to your voice, so these A.I. programs have your voice.”
He explained that some companies are beginning to offer royalty payments to musicians whose voices are used by AI systems. “If somebody wants to hear your voice or something, like your voice to be used on a record or for a song or whatever, these A.I. programs will pay you a royalty,” Cazares noted. However, he acknowledged that most musicians remain unprotected in this evolving landscape.
Cazares stressed that resistance to AI is futile, pointing out that the technology is already deeply integrated into daily life. “People are using all the music programs, actually using the songs, and they’re putting it out on Spotify and everywhere else,” he said. “I hear it on digital radio all the time. So it’s here. I mean, we can all complain about it and talk shit about it, but until we actually get rid of all of our electronic devices, nothing’s gonna change.”
The guitarist emphasized that AI learning is accelerating and becoming more sophisticated. “Everything that we say and do and post — comments, pictures, videos — A.I. learns from that. And it’s learning more and more. And it’s much smarter than we are, and it’s gonna get even more smarter.”
Rather than fighting the inevitable, Cazares advocates for musicians to proactively adapt to new royalty models and technological frameworks. His message is clear: the music industry’s relationship with AI is not a question of if, but when and how musicians will navigate it.
