D’Addario Acknowledges Use of AI-Generated Music in Promotional Video

After weeks of debate and speculation, D’Addario has finally acknowledged that AI, specifically Suno, played a role in a recent promotional video. For nearly two weeks, the company denied these claims, even as mounting evidence suggested otherwise. They provided various explanations, ranging from low-quality exports to the use of plug-ins like Autotune causing digital noise, and even AI-assisted mastering tools from LANDR and Logic. However, they have now updated their original Instagram post, admitting their earlier denial was incorrect.

In a detailed update to their July 29th post, they stated:
> We got this wrong. We’ve completed a full review and confirmed that Suno Studio was used to regenerate the original track. We shared inaccurate information, and we’re truly sorry … We do not support AI-generated music, and our process will reflect that going forward. We’ll require our employees and creative partners to disclose any use of generative AI, and we’ll more closely review everything we put into the world.

The post also addressed their strict comment moderation, which resulted in the deletion of critical posts and blocking of users. Instead of issuing a new statement, the company opted to edit their original post five days ago, ten days after it was first published.

The original video showcased a new set of strings designed for extended-range guitars and low tunings, but viewers quickly raised suspicions about the recording. The situation escalated when D’Addario shared a clip claiming to show the Logic recording sessions for the demo track, revealing noticeable melodic and rhythmic discrepancies between the final track and the Logic session.

Guitarist and YouTuber Rhett Shull obtained the original Logic files directly from D’Addario, which only intensified the controversy. Even in his more lenient evaluation, Shull concluded that Suno was likely involved at some stage, probably to regenerate the original recording.

D’Addario has now confirmed that Suno Studio was indeed used to regenerate the track. This incident adds to the growing list of AI-related controversies in the guitar community, following recent comments from the Fender CEO likening bandmates to analog AI.