[ExI] AI-generated music videos

[Ben Zaiboc]

On Monday, 7 September 2026 at 17:48, spike at rainier66.com <spike at rainier66.com> wrote:

> 
> Ben there is a lot to unpack here, so I left your entire commentary in
> there.  Read on please.
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: extropy-chat <extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org> On Behalf Of Ben
> Zaiboc via extropy-chat
> 
> 
> On 07/09/2026 13:01, spike wrote:
> >>... AI is already not just writing songs, it is writing better songs than
> we write.  Consider this AI-generated video with what I think is an
> (excellent) AI-generated music video:
> >
> >
> >>... If AI can do that, we humans will likely eventually just dissolve into
> them.
> 
> >...spike, that was truly horrible...
> 
> Oh on the contrary sir, very much so.  Guess it depends on taste.  I liked
> it.  I would listen to that song in my car.
> 
> >...I didn't manage to watch more than a few seconds of it. Granted, I don't
> like country music...
> 
> No worries, I like it enough to cover the both of us, with change left over.
> 
> >... If this sort of thing is going to be at all convincing...
> 
> OK no worries, I now realize they aren't really trying to be convincing or
> to perfectly imitate reality.


Ok, maybe I should have said 'appealing' instead of 'convincing'.


> 
> >... the AIs will have to learn to wipe the same stupid grin off the face of
> every single character...
> 
> Barn dances are fun Ben.
> 
> >...Didn't you find it offputting that everyone is grinning like an idiot?
> ...
> 
> No.  Smart people grin too.  I hope so.  Otherwise... I'm an idiot.


What I mean is, it's so false. You must have had the experience of some salesman/woman trying to be 'friendly' and coming over as totally insincere. This is like that, only from 360 degrees, and relentless. I find it horrifying.


> But thanks for pointing that out, for it is always good to feel gratitude
> when one is fortunate, as we all are here, all of us.  Gratitude is a
> powerful emotion.  I am a naturally cheerful person.  We see the reflection
> of ourselves and our attitudes in others.  So... most people appear to be
> cheerful to me.
> 
> >...It's like a barn dance at a mental hospital, with everyone in a manic
> phase...
> 
> OK sure.  But... look at it this way: if one is manic depressive, which
> phase is more fun?  And if they could just stay up there, it would be a good
> thing, ja?  And if all the patients at the mental hospital is in that phase
> simultaneously, why the heck not have a barn dance?  And barn dances are fun
> as all get out.  I don't recall seeing grumpy people there: the grumpy bears
> can't stand it.  They leave.  They aren't comfortable there, any more than
> the pre-Christmas Grinch would hang out in Whoville.  Barn dances are for
> happy people.
> 
> Ben, try this, me lad: get your attitude right, then go to the local country
> western bar.


Not sure what 'get your attitute right' means. Nothing wrong with my attitude. I am suitably surly, suspicious and anti-social. My attitude fits the times perfectly.

And... there are no country and western bars within a thousand miles of where I live. At least I hope so.


>  Be friendly, warm, kind.  Shake hands, greet strangers.  Be
> human.  If it doesn't work for you, well, you tried.  If it does work for
> you, even temporarily, you now understand why that bar has plenty of
> customers.  I see you have .me at the end of your email @.  Are you from Montenegro?


Hahahaha.
Nope, that .me is just a proton mail thing. I hail from Blighty.


> 
> >...I can't offer an opinion on the realism of the music, but it did seem
> similarly forced and over-cheerful. Maybe that's what country music is
> supposed to be like, I wouldn't know...
> 
> Well, OK then.  Get to know.


No. Just no. There's a reason I know nothing about it. It sounds about as pleasant to me as fingernails on a blackboard.

 
> >...The overall impression was 'Drowning in Syrup'...
> 
> Granted it is gaggy sweet.  I'm cool with that.  If one is going to barf anyway, better that it is from too sweet.


Well I'd rather not barf at all.

 
> >...and of course the graphics are painfully sharp-edged and everyone has
> perfect complexion. I expect that's just the current standard of AI video,
> and it will improve, but it certainly doesn't encourage me to want to watch
> more such videos...
> 
> The religion crowd sells us a vision of their brand of afterlife which is
> kinda like that video.  Everybody is healthy, good looking etc.  It never
> occurred to me that this is a bad thing.


The reason it's a bad thing is because it's utterly false, and sets up unrealistic expectations. Haven't we had enough backlash against airbrushed magazine cover models, anorexic fashion models, etc., for that to be obvious?


> 
> >...This has reminded me of something I noticed about the series 'Lost':
> Everyone, without exception is good-looking. Even the ugly people are
> actually good-looking. Is this a particularly american thing?...
> 
> NO!  I went to Europe last spring, HOly schlaMOLy, you guys have the
> beauties over there.  Everywhere I looked, pulchritudinous ladies strutting
> around in that gorgeous white hair, etc.


Yes, and we also have ugly people. And, more to the point, ugly actors. We have people in films and TV shows that you could expect to see on the street. I suspect that's not really the case in america. Otherwise, we'd see a lot of obese actors, don't you think?


> >...Are there no ugly american actors? It adds to the unreality of american
> shows, I feel. I hope AI isn't copying that tendency, making everyone
> unrealistically beautiful...
> 
> I am not much of a consumer of Hollyweird products, so you might be right on
> that.
> 
> >...Teenagers these days are insecure enough already!  Ben
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> Bah, teenagers schmeenagers.  Their problem is they focus too much on youth.
> Little do they realize their peak years are half a century hence...

That may be true, of the ones who don't kill themselves or develop mental problems because they feel they can't measure up to the false images presented to them by the media and AI videos...

---
Ben