In November, the Music-RAI Research Project, funded by the University of the Arts London (UAL), announced the recipients of its prestigious AI Music Award. Among the three winners is CalArts student Junson Park (Music MFA 25), who was awarded £5,000 to develop an artistic mini-project using responsible artificial intelligence, or RAI.
The award is part of a 12-month initiative aimed at addressing biases in AI music tools that predominantly favor Western classical and pop genres. This global effort seeks to broaden the accessibility of AI tools for marginalized music styles by bringing together researchers, musicians, and industry experts to drive innovation and inclusivity in music generation.
For his project, Park is composing an EP of impression-based sound arrangements that blend traditional Korean music with experimental, modern electronic influences. His aim is to address the limitations of mainstream AI audio models by creating a curated dataset representing the often-overlooked cultural nuances within Korean music. Rather than focusing solely on rhythm, the project delves into the unique textures and timbres of Korean music, including its distinctive odd-numbered meters.
Park’s journey into AI began two years ago when he started using machine learning to create experimental soundscapes, including a never-ending car noise generator. These early explorations reshaped his understanding of sound art, opening doors to nonlinear forms of expression.
His Music-RAI project is a continuation of his broader artistic philosophy to embrace nonlinear experiences and challenge traditional approaches to sound design. “Using AI for me is more than just saving time or increasing output,” Park shared with 24700 in a recent email. “My goal is to create a volumetric experience. It’s impossible to explain or reproduce everything I feel about my cultural aesthetic through old-fashioned sound design and arrangements. Machine learning allows me to merge aesthetics in ways that traditional methods cannot. It’s like sculpting clay.”
Park will present his project at a Music-RAI exhibition in January 2025.
