John Dahlbäck now uses AI for vocals, but calls full-song generation lazy

John Dahlbäck spent years wary of AI in music. The Swedish DJ and producer now calls himself a “firm believer” in it, telling MusicRadar he leans on AI mainly for vocals and for sketching ideas.

Dahlbäck has produced for Kaskade and Benny Benassi, and collaborated with Avicii early on as Jovicii on the track “Don’t Hold Back.” His pitch is simple: treat AI like gear, not like a ghostwriter.

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I use it more of an instrument, just as I would Splice or a synthesiser.

How Dahlbäck uses AI in his workflow

The method is hands-on. He feeds a beat he is working on into an AI tool and uses what comes back as a prompt for his next move, the same way he tweaks a synth until something sticks. Vocals are where he reaches for it most, generating ideas he then shapes into a track.

He draws a hard line at the other end. Dahlbäck said he dislikes AI when “it’s just anyone sloppy” generating a finished song with no craft behind it. “I’m very excited by AI if the person using it is also creative and not just lazy,” he told MusicTech.

Why a working producer’s take matters

Most AI-music headlines are lawsuits and open letters. A credited producer explaining exactly where a tool helps and where it doesn’t is rarer, and more useful if you make music for a living.

His stance lines up with a shift already in motion. AI vocal tools went from novelty to standard kit fast. Splice bought voice-cloning startup Kits AI last year, and tools like Voice Swap now sit in real sessions, not just demos.