Luke Steele of Empire Of The Sun confirmed he uses artificial intelligence in his creative process, offering little elaboration beyond an enthusiastic "Of course" during an iHeartRadio interview at Montreal's Osheaga Festival. The exchange, captured by music publication Stereogum, exemplifies the hollow rhetoric that now dominates conversations about AI adoption in the music industry.
Steele's candid acknowledgment places him among producers and musicians increasingly willing to admit AI integration into their work. Yet the interview stalled before exploring specifics. He provided no detail about which AI tools he employs, how he deploys them in songwriting or production, or what creative problems they solve for him.
The exchange reflects a broader exhaustion in music journalism around AI discourse. Artists face a cultural tightrope. Admit AI use and face accusations of diluting craft or stealing from training data. Deny it and risk appearing Luddite or dishonest. The result: vague confirmations that satisfy neither critics nor genuinely curious listeners seeking to understand how technology reshapes the creative process.
Empire Of The Sun, the electronic project Steele co-leads with Jonathan Moore, has built its reputation on lush production and intricate sonic architecture. The outfit's willingness to experiment with technology aligns with the project's sonic DNA. Yet Steele's non-answer raises questions. Is AI accelerating production workflows? Generating melodic ideas? Helping arrange orchestration? Each application carries different artistic and ethical implications.
The music industry continues wrestling with AI's role as tool versus replacement. Without artists articulating how they actually use these systems, the conversation remains static. Steele had an opportunity to meaningfully advance that discussion at Osheaga. Instead, he offered confirmation without context, leaving listeners to guess whether AI represents genuine creative partnership or mere efficiency play.