--- title: "Leaked Frank Ocean Tracks Were Actually AI-Generated Fakes" description: "A scammer claims to have made thousands of dollars by selling \"leaked\" tracks by Frank Ocean that were actually generated by an AI." date: "2023-05-11" modified: "2023-05-11" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/leaked-frank-ocean-tracks-ai-generated-fakes" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" tags: - "ai music" - "music streaming" - "the digest" --- # Leaked Frank Ocean Tracks Were Actually AI-Generated Fakes ![A scammer claims to have made thousands of dollars by selling "leaked" tracks by Frank Ocean that were actually generated by an AI.]() *\Image: FilmMagic / Getty Images\* ## Thinkin Bot You A scammer claims to have made thousands of dollars by selling "leaked" tracks putatively by auteur R&B singer-songwriter Frank Ocean, [*Vice* reports](), that were actually generated by AI. The incident highlights how AI-generated music is already having a disruptive effect on the music industry, with record labels and musicians getting caught up in a [game of whack-a-mole]() to stop fake tracks from being swept up and shared by fans. It's also a waypoint that goes to show just how convincing the tech has become, with cloned, AI-generated vocals becoming almost indistinguishable from the real thing. ## Super Rich AIs The scammer, who goes by the name mourningassasin, told *Vice* that they hired a musician to create nine tracks that made use of "very high quality vocal snippets" of Frank Ocean's voice. After uploading one of these tracks, mourningassasin noticed "everyone started to believe it." The scammer said they had made almost $10,000 from selling the tracks to collectors. "We determined just about everything he has is fake," Gamma, the owner of a Discord server focused on rare Frank Ocean tracks, wrote in an announcement, as quoted by *Vice*. The scammer took advantage of the fact that Ocean's fans are desperate for him to release new music. His last full album dates back to 2016. Ocean is a famously reclusive figure. After he made a [disastrous appearance]() at Coachella last month, the artist [hinted]() at a new album, leading to widespread speculation. ## In MAI Room The topic of AI-generated music has reached a fever pitch over the last couple of months. Last month, record label Universal Music Group [forced]() a viral track that used the AI-generated vocals of Aubrey "Drake" Graham and Abel Makkonen "the Weeknd" Tesfaye to be taken offline. Now that the new "leaked" Frank Ocean tracks have turned out to be fake, fans are understandably upset. "This situation has put a major dent in our server's credibility, and will result in distrust from any new and unverified seller throughout these communities," Gamma told *Vice*. **More on AI music:** *[Snoop Dogg Expresses Views on AI Threat]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()