Kelly Clarkson Says ‘I Love AI’ but AI Artists Should Not Be on the Same Music Charts as Humans

Kelly Clarkson is weighing in on artificial intelligence, fully aware that her position may spark debate. During a recent episode of the Las Culturistas podcast, the vocalist and daytime talk show host opened up about her dual feelings toward the technology, admitting she is drawn to its creative potential while also troubled by the ways it could disrupt the music industry. In her view, AI-generated music should not be placed in direct competition with human-made songs on the same charts.

“I love AI. Controversial, I don’t care,” Clarkson said, making it clear she is genuinely impressed by what the technology can do and enjoys experimenting with it, much like countless others. However, she draws a firm line when it comes to fairness in music rankings. “When you see AI artists competing on a chart with humans, I have an issue. I think there should be a separate chart,” she explained. Clarkson, who became a household name after winning the debut season of American Idol in 2002 and has since moved more than 25 million albums worldwide, is no stranger to the pressures of the business. Her proposal echoes similar debates in sports, where technological advancements have frequently caused friction. The International Olympic Committee, for example, has begun exploring an “Olympic Esports Series,” though no robot-versus-human events have received official approval to date.

She went on to describe AI as “welcome to the table,” praising the music people will create with it as “really cool and creative.” According to Clarkson, individuals who may lack traditional musical training can now bring their ideas to life, which she considers an exciting space to explore. Still, she returned to her central argument: “But I don’t think they should be competing with humans. It’s basically like having Olympics and then you’re having robots compete with humans, well who’s going to throw it further? Oh, I wonder.” That analogy carries particular weight given the International Olympic Committee’s ongoing interest in esports, even though no robot-versus-human athletic competitions have been formally sanctioned.

Despite her reservations about chart competition, Clarkson praised AI’s broader applications and stressed that the technology is here to stay. “Here’s the thing. It’s not going anywhere,” she said. “I think it is interesting and there’s so many amazing scientific things that are happening… but I think you have to be able to differentiate… We can’t lose human. We can’t lose what that is. But there could be an appetite for both, is what I’m saying.” Her comments arrive as the industry continues to wrestle with AI, including high-profile lawsuits from artists and labels against AI music tools, and ongoing disputes over how streaming platforms should label and credit AI-generated tracks. Clarkson’s idea for a separate chart could shape how services like Billboard and Spotify handle AI songs going forward, possibly establishing a precedent for fair competition.