Our Approach to AI in Music Creation

At Lookout House Collective, we create music that honors human artistry while thoughtfully embracing the evolving tools of our time. We acknowledge the ongoing debates and controversies surrounding artificial intelligence in music production—including valid concerns about authenticity, creativity, and the impact on artists.

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), in collaboration with the IFPI and other industry organizations, is actively developing labeling standards to distinguish between fully AI-generated and AI-assisted recordings. These efforts represent important progress, though they remain works in progress.

To be clear, we will never release fully AI-Generated music.

In developing our music, humans always write the lyrics, develop the melodies, deliver the vocals, and perform varying degrees (based on song) of the instrumentation. We are proud of our songwriters, musicians, and vocalists.

In the studio, we blend human-performed instruments with AI-assisted and electronic tools—such as keyboards triggering virtual instruments—to achieve the best possible recording. We may also program or refine certain notes or beats digitally. We may also work electronically with other musicians and vocalist in other geographic locations. This painstaking, collaborative process draws on longstanding industry practices, and every song’s creation is unique.

Mixing and mastering rely on high-level computer software, which may include AI-assisted features to refine sound quality. Humans perform all the mixing and mastering of our songs in our studio.

In live settings, our music comes alive differently—often through a full live band or a hybrid of live musicians and backing tracks. In church worship environments, multitrack tools are a common and valuable aid for worship teams.

We believe the music industry has always evolved with technology—from the electric guitar’s emergence in the 1930s to the widespread adoption of Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) in the 1970s–80s. The MP3 file format in the late 1990s and the rise of music streaming services (such as Pandora in the mid-2000s) were also major disruptions. Today, a large percentage of music (or its components) is created digitally.

AI and related tools are here to stay and will only become more prevalent. We support industry-wide efforts for greater transparency and will continue providing clear information about our processes until broader standards are fully established. We also recognize that, as the industry continues to evolve with new technologies, some labeling standards may eventually become less relevant.

Technology has long shaped music—for better and for worse—and AI is poised to transform not only our industry but the wider world. (In fact, AI assisted in refining this very statement.) At its heart, our music remains a deeply human expression of faith, creativity, and connection. We invite you to listen, experience it, and join us on the journey.