Holiday songs are usually full of imagery of snowy nights, cozy fires, and loved ones gathered around the Christmas tree. One thing they lack, though, is a reminder of how artificial intelligence is slowly creeping into our lives. But don’t worry, this new tune from the University of Toronto has that base covered.
According to Smithsonian, computer scientists at the university developed an artificial intelligence system capable of composing an original song inspired by a digital photo of a Christmas tree. The result below is a valiant effort, but it’s no reason to think the next Irving Berlin will be coded by a software developer. The University of Toronto team is just the latest group to experiment with music and AI. Earlier this year Sony shared a Beatles-inspired AI composition entitled “Daddy’s Car,” and they plan to release an entire album of neural network originals sometime next year.
[h/t Smithsonian]
Header/banner images courtesy of iStock.
December 6, 2016 – 9:00am