Brian May has declared that humanity does not need artificial intelligence (AI), using a flawed AI-generated recreation of one of Queen's iconic album covers to make his point. The 79-year-old guitarist took to Instagram to share the result, a post that initially alarmed followers who thought he might be endorsing the technology. Instead, May revealed he had asked Meta's AI to recreate the cover of Queen's 1980 album The Game, and the outcome was both eerie and far from accurate.
AI Gets the Band Wrong
The AI-generated image featured five band members instead of the standard four—Freddie Mercury, May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon. The extra member was Spike Edney, who did not begin performing with Queen until 1984, four years after the album's release. May's caption highlighted the absurdity: 'I just had to share this with you guys. I asked Meta AI to show me what the cover of The Game album looked like. This is what it gave me, good job, eh?'
He continued sarcastically, 'So this is the kind of intelligence that will soon be ruling the world? Well, great, maybe this is the time to realise we actually don’t need AI.' The post quickly gained traction, with fans flooding the comments to praise May for speaking out against the technology.
May's Warning on Data Centres
May did not stop at mocking the AI's mistake. He used the post to issue a serious warning about the infrastructure required to power AI. 'I’m now very serious, I believe the price we are about to pay for this “inevitable” development is way too high,' he wrote. 'We must not allow these hideous data centres to be built in the UK. They will destroy our beautiful country, like they are already destroying beautiful America.'
In the same post, May appeared to appeal directly to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, adding: 'Dear Andy, you must stop it now, before it’s too late.' The comment section saw unanimous support, with followers thanking May for highlighting the issue. Monique Brognon commented on the technology required to power AI: 'It is not enough to refuse the data centres, it is essential NOW to explain to people what they’re really doing by playing with AI all day long. It’s time for humanity to think more about the consequences of their actions.' Jake Thompson also thanked May for taking a stand on a 'problem that many choose to ignore when generating their own AI posts'.
Artists Divided on AI
May's post comes amid a turbulent period for the artistic community's relationship with AI. While some defend the technology, others are staunchly opposed. Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher has praised an AI-created Oasis album called AISIS, saying it was 'better than all the other snizzle out there'. However, in 2024, Billie Eilish, Katy Perry, and the estate of Frank Sinatra were among 200 artists who signed an open letter calling for the 'predatory' use of AI in the music industry to be stopped. The letter warned that AI 'will set in motion a race to the bottom' if left unchecked, urging tech firms to pledge not to develop AI music-generation tools 'that undermine or replace the human artistry of songwriters and artists, or deny us fair compensation for our work'.
May's intervention adds a high-profile voice to the debate, using a tangible example of AI's current limitations to argue against its unchecked expansion. His call to action targets both public awareness and political action, specifically urging the Prime Minister to reconsider the construction of data centres in the UK. As the controversy continues, the impact of May's post may influence how AI is perceived and regulated in the coming months.
