Microsoft used AI to generate a never-ending remix of Warren Hue’s new song

Microsoft has a prolific history of working with entertainers and artists to add a little taste of tech into their creations, and is continuing that with Indonesian singer and producer Warren Hue. The company teamed up with Asian media company and record label 88rising to create an AI-generated “never-ending remix” of Hue’s latest track Too Many Tears. You can check out the audio-visual experience on TooManyTears.AI, where you’ll see images from the San Gabriel Valley set to remix stems from Hue’s song. 

This is Microsoft’s third AI-based music project, and its first with electronic music. The remix will adapt to the time of day for different moods in the morning and night, but it’s also attempting to create a “more pastoral landscape.” Since it’s not confined to a three to four minute limit, the track also has more room for “longer, more contemplative loops of music.” Hue’s song itself has a slower, melodic chorus and faster rap verses that might not fit the slower pace that one might expect to be the background music for a slideshow of valleys and other scenes from nature.

According to a press release, the images were scouted by 88rising’s technical specialists, who went to the San Gabriel Valley to scout for the best views. They then set up a camera, connected it to high-speed internet and streamed a 24/7 video feed to Microsoft’s Azure Virtual Machine servers. The AI looked for four main “events” to analyze: morning, day, dusk and night, and as it notices transitions between these events, it generates audio to match the setting. It’ll also play audio engineer and smooth over these shifts in the music. 

Microsoft also said this project “celebrates the dynamic San Gabriel Valley, one of the most ethnically diverse regions in the country and home to a vibrant Asian-American population and culture.” In a statement, director of strategic partnerships Amy Sorokas said “88rising’s multi-faceted approach to showcasing Asian and Asian-American artists and culture is exciting, and they’ve shown a willingness to experiment and collaborate.” Given the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes in America and the fact that it’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month, this project is also timely.