SZA calls out AI music after finding out her songs were used to train AI

SZA called out AI music this weekend following her discovery that 238 of her songs had been used to train AI music generators.

It follows the launch of The Atlantic’s new AI detection tool, which allows artists to see if their music appears in the data sets used to train those generators.

Created by researcher Alex Reisner, the non-comprehensive tool draws on four different sets available to AI developers and encompasses over 21 million songs, pulling from catalogues of international superstars and smaller, independent artists alike.

Taking to instagram stories in the days following the tool’s launch, SZA shared her discovery that AI has trained off 238 of her songs, some unreleased.

“If your a musician and you support this degenerate shit? Your disgusting and there’s NOTHING YOU COULD EVER SAY TO ME TO MAKE THIS OKAY.”

Writing on a separate account, she also pointed at AI’s exploitation of black artists specifically: “I AINT HEARD A WHITE AI SONG YET.. why so disproportionate? We have no protection in legislature medical or creative. The easiest to steal from.”

Additionally, artists like Kenneth Blume (AKA Kenny Beats) also called out AI music, specifically the company Suno, writing “I can’t imagine going into work daily knowing you are stealing from countless struggling musicians. I can’t imagine being proud to earn a paycheck obliterating the work and dreams of artists.”

In 2025, SZA had already publicly criticised artificial intelligence, warning about its environmental impact and the disproportionate burden it places on minority communities.