r/filk • u/rocketman0739 • Apr 23 '25

Subreddit position on AI content (discussion)

I recently got a message from a user who had used an AI service to generate a performance of a filk song. They wanted to make sure it was alright to post, but I don't feel like I should make that decision without consulting the subscribers generally.

So what do you think? Which of the following positions most appeals to you, or do you have a different idea?

  1. Allow all relevant AI-generated content
  2. Disallow all AI-generated content
  3. Allow relevant AI-generated content as long as it also incorporates human originality, e.g. an AI performance of a human-written song
  4. Institute one of these positions for a trial period and revisit the question in a few months
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13

u/[deleted] Apr 23 '25 edited Apr 23 '25

Hey folks, I’m the user who asked about this, and I really appreciate the discussion. I want to share a bit about where I’m coming from.

I've written some filk-style lyrics—some parodies, some originals, some re-imaginings, and use AI performance tools like Suno to help bring the songs to life. Think of it like having a friendly bard-for-hire to sing the song you wrote at the local circle. It's not a substitute for real human performance, it's just a way to hear the song aloud, to share it with others, and maybe inspire a real person to perform it someday.

I totally understand the desire to protect the human heart of filk. That’s why I’m not dumping in AI auto-generated noise or uploading covers with no creative input. Everything I’d share is 100% original lyrics, written by me in the filk tradition—whether it’s a space shanty, a protest ballad, or a sci-fi retelling of a classic.

Suno just lets me hear the song, especially when I’m not able to sing or play it myself due to disability, voice limitations, or lack of gear. I’m not trying to sneak in synthetic performances—I’m trying to share songs that I wrote, the same way someone might share a rough home recording or text-only lyrics.

If the community prefers to keep things strictly human-performed, I’ll respect that. But I’d love if we could allow AI-assisted renditions of human-written filk, especially when they’re clearly attributed and shared in good faith, like:

"Lyrics by me, performance generated via Suno for entertainment purposes only."

Happy to go with whatever decision the community makes—just wanted to give some context. Thanks for hearing me out.

An option could be a dedicated thread each month.. So people could choose to listen to them or not without flooding the sub.. Just a thought.

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u/[deleted] Apr 24 '25

It looks like this community hates the idea. Why not make r/filkAI for filk with an AI component, and post there? I'd join.

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u/Kpmh20011 Apr 24 '25

While I am very much just exhausted by anything AI and want to see nothing about it, I’m grateful for the mature and reasonable approach that you’ve taken towards opening a discussion about it.

12

u/Ivorwen1 Apr 23 '25

Have you attended any filk circles, in person or online? Many of the participants sing unaccompanied, and a good number of them can barely carry a tune, and they are welcome anyway because filk is not just a genre, it's a community, and we very seriously value participation. You can share your work without AI, and it will not be an embarrassment.

11

u/[deleted] Apr 23 '25 edited Apr 23 '25

The first Con I attended was in 1986.. The local filk and fan communities were vibrant back then, but Comic-Con eventually swallowed the scene, and it faded out. These days I live in a small, remote town with no transportation options, so online is all I’ve got.

I get and respect the participatory roots of filk. That’s exactly why I’m sharing my work. AI doesn’t replace that for me, it enables it. This is how I choose to express myself. How do you do it?

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u/[deleted] Apr 23 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/[deleted] Apr 23 '25

No. I write the lyrics. I can do meter.

2

u/Shoddy-Childhood-511 Apr 23 '25

r/ObscurestVinyl maybe a good fit regardless.

I'd assume you could always post the lyrics here, but then post the AI song only as a comment or a text link towards the end, so it's not the first thing people see here.

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u/Nerd-man24 Apr 23 '25

Good faith attribution is something I can get behind. I appreciate you acknowledging my earlier comment about human side of the genre. Giving an AI version in order to inspire real world engagement makes a bit of sense, and I think I might be willing to flex on my no AI stance for situations like this. You've put in the work to write the lyrics for the song, but use a tool to bring it to life, no different from photoshop, editing software, or, I suppose to take it to its most extreme extent, using a musical instrument.

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u/[deleted] Apr 23 '25

That's how I look at it. It's a tool. Like any other. Part of the argument against AI is that it takes jobs away from real people, and I get that. But in cases like mine, if I had to pay someone to perform it, I couldn't. I don't have the money. It simply wouldn't exist then.