Using AI to compose music for competitions: Need to consider carefully, avoid abuse

There is much debate surrounding the contest's use of AI in musical composition.

Thanh Nien Newspaper has just launched a contest to compose propaganda songs about the 13th National Youth Union Congress for the 2026 - 2031 term .

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Toan - Editor-in-Chief of Thanh Nien Newspaper (standing) - representative of the Organizing Committee shared about the contest.

The purpose of the contest is to find meaningful works of art that reflect the spirit of “Pioneering - Solidarity - Courage - Breakthrough - Development” , and is expected to attract a large number of artists, union members, youth and people at home and abroad. Outstanding songs will be selected to accompany the Congress.

The organizers clearly stated the competition criteria. In it, they allowed contestants to use AI technology in creating works with the requirement that authors label and clarify the level of reference.

In addition, the author is also responsible for the legal and intellectual property of his work.

Musician Huy Tuan raised the issue of copyright for songs using AI in composition.

This new regulation is controversial with many opposing opinions from experts.

Musician Huy Tuan believes that AI technology is both a gain and a loss in the process of artistic creation.

He expressed concern about how using AI to compose music as an author would be presented when recorded in the work.

"Because even if AI is used 80-90% or even 10%, it is still considered a creative character," he expressed his opinion.

Musician Hoai An - one of the judges of the contest - evaluates a debut song/composition based on 3 factors: Melody - lyrics; accompaniment and vocals. He believes that the honesty of the contestant is very important.

Musician Hoai An promotes the author's own creative ability, instead of abusing AI.

From a professional perspective, Hoai An believes that artists create art first and foremost through passion and labor through their work. Therefore, it becomes meaningless when an author relies on technology to do their work for them.

“The more a person uses AI, the more it proves that he or she doesn't love music and doesn't have the ability to create his or her own work,” he said.

Conductor Tran Vuong Thach believes that it is necessary to consider the use of AI, especially when applied to the field of human creativity.

“Where did that AI come from; are there Vietnamese elements in the scales and harmonies or are they just imitating the music of some other country?” he said.

The competition's jury includes: Musician Duc Trinh - Chairman of the Vietnam Musicians' Association - Chairman of the jury, musician Hoai An, musician Ho Trong Huan (Principal of the Military University of Culture and Arts), director Thai Huan, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Toan (Editor-in-Chief of Thanh Nien Newspaper)...

The judging panel consists of prestigious names with many years of experience in many fields. However, some opinions expressed concern because the panel lacks young faces.

Musician Huy Tuan believes that the jury should include young musicians whose songs and albums have entered modern life and shaped current music trends.

Representative of DTAP group - Nguyen Tran Hoang Thinh (Thinh Kainz) attended the event.

Some names such as musician Nguyen Van Chung and the group DTAP, who have impressed with their works about love for homeland and country in recent times, were proposed.

According to the organizers, entries must be new, unused, unpublished, or published since the start of the contest but not entered into any domestic or international contests.

The contest will accept entries from September 30 to November 30. The jury will judge and select the best song to be the official song for the congress. The award is expected to be presented in December.

Photo: Organizing Committee

Colonel, musician Doan Nho at 93 years old is still alert, eats vegetarian food and composes songs . Born in 1933, musician Doan Nho is about to turn 93 but he is still alert, choosing to eat vegetarian food, practice physical and mental health, and even swim to train both body and mind.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/dung-ai-sang-tac-nhac-du-thi-can-can-nhac-tranh-lam-dung-2447805.html