--- title: "Grimes: Humanity Is At The “End of Art, Human Art”" description: "During the segment Grimes, who studied neuroscience before pursuing her music career, opined that humanity is at the \"end of art, human art.\"" date: "2019-11-27" modified: "2019-11-27" authors: - name: "Tag Hartman-Simkins" job_title: "Director of Art and Design" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/tagh" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/grimes-humanity-end-of-art" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" tags: - "artificial intelligence" - "grimes" - "music" - "the digest" --- # Grimes: Humanity Is At The “End of Art, Human Art” ![During the segment Grimes, who studied neuroscience before pursuing her music career, opined that humanity is at the "end of art, human art."]() *\Image: Magnus Aske Blikeng, Jan Rijk, and DeShaun Craddock via Flickr/Tag Hartman-Simkins\* ## Do 'The Robot' Last week, indie pop singer-songwriter Grimes made an appearance on astrophysicist Sean Carroll’s [Mindscape podcast](). During the segment, the pop singer, who studied neuroscience before pursuing her music career, [opined that]() humanity is at the "end of art, human art" — AI, in Grimes' mind, will soon master the arts and sciences, surpassing humans in the ability to produce superior works. ## The Backlash Grimes' comments touched a nerve in the indie music community. In a since-deleted tweet, critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Zola Jesus called Grimes' comments the "voice of silicon fascist privilege," likely alluding to Grimes relationship with Elon Musk. Yesterday, a third voice weighed in on the debate — Holly Herndon, an award-winning composer and electronic musician whose most recent album, *PROTO*, was made in [collaboration with an AI](). Herndon, who holds a PhD from Stanford University, posted a nuanced response to the debate on Twitter. https://twitter.com/hollyherndon/status/1199455651170263040 ## (Feat. AI) AI has been used [more and more]() in recent experimental releases like Herndon’s *PROTO*, including JLin and Herndon’s 2018 song “Spawn,” and Iranian composer Ash Koosha’s 2018 album *Return 0*. Last month, Arca [announced that]() her music would soundtrack the lobby of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, composed with the Bronze AI engine. Last year, Grimes [released a single]() called "We Appreciate Power" which, while not composed using artificial intelligence, alludes to genuflecting to its influence. **Read More:** [Grimes thinks "live music is going to be obsolete soon"]() \[*Brooklyn Vegan*\] **More on Grimes:** [Grimes Uses Deprivation Tank to “Astro-Glide to Other Dimensions”]() ## Author I work with the editorial team at Futurism to create original illustrations and graphics for internal projects while shaping the overall aesthetic vision of the publication. I designed the current layout of the site, and I'm currently hard at work spearheading the development of a new version; I also occasionally contribute as a writer. Prior to Futurism, I worked at VaynerMedia, at a regional newspaper, and at an acclaimed local coffee shop. I'm originally from Illinois, and I attended Carl Sandburg College and Knox College. I've lived in Queens and Brooklyn, New York for many years, and I'm a devotee both of pop music and deep cuts ranging from ambient to math rock; I have an extensive collection of vinyl, I'm an enthusiast for the restoration of vintage gaming systems, and on the weekends you can reliably find me at a local music venue. ### Author social links [LinkedIn]() [Twitter]()