Kelly Clarkson's AI Comments Spark Backlash: ‘I Love AI... I Am Obsessed’

Kelly Clarkson shared her take on AI in a recent podcast, revealing she's 'obsessed' with the technology and weighing in on its growing role in the music industry.

Kelly Clarkson ruffled some feathers this week after sharing her enthusiasm for artificial intelligence during an appearance on the podcast “Las Culturistas” on September 30.

Clarkson shared her views on AI to hosts Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, acknowledging some won’t be pleased. "Controversial, I don't care," she said. "Here's the thing: I love AI. There are very amazing things with AI that I am obsessed with."

While Clarkson says she enjoys using AI “artistically,” she does have an issue with the threat it poses to human artists.

"When you see AI artists competing on a chart with humans, I have an issue," she said. "I think there should be a separate chart... I think it's really cool and creative what we're going to create with AI musically, and people that maybe can't do certain things will be able to do it now."

She compared it to the Olympics, explaining, "It's basically like having the Olympics, and then you're having robots compete with humans. Well, who's gonna throw further?"

Clarkson considers it “a huge deal” when AI output takes a chart spot that could have gone to a human artist. She insists that the use of AI in creating music “shouldn't come at the expense of a human achievement.”

She also expressed her concerns about regulating AI, citing executives at AI companies who have publicly addressed the need for industry oversight. Ultimately, the singer said, "I don't want to be, like, ‘Oh, I’m hardcore against it.’ I'm just hardcore against it replacing [human artists]. I think both can exist."

The conversation also touched on AI-generated actor Tilly Norwood, whose interview with CNN and a separate one with Piers Morgan have drawn criticism from actors’ unions. Clarkson and the hosts discussed one strange moment during Norwood’s interview where she started speaking Cantonese for no reason.

The “American Idol” winner acknowledged that AI “isn’t going anywhere,” and while she said “it’s kind of fun to watch” the AI actress, she also stressed, “We can’t lose human. You can't lose what that is…But there can be an appetite for both."

As of Thursday, Kelly Clarkson's comments had drawn criticism online. "I hate the way very famous musicians talk about this stuff as if they have to fight for attention the same way smaller, independent, or even mildly successful artists do," a person wrote on X.

Another commented, "Notice how she has no issues with AI outside of how it would affect her?" Similar comments circulated on Reddit, with one saying it was “kind of on-brand” for Clarkson to say such things, and it was a “great, dark reminder” of how the people fans glorify for their talent are still drawn into using AI themselves.

Clarkson’s interview comes just weeks after she said goodbye to her daytime talk show after seven seasons. She’s now back in the judge’s chair in “The Voice” after taking a three-year hiatus from the show. In July, she released a single, “I’d Be Lyin,” with new music still on the way.