'Incredible' AI creates 'wild' sound that has never been heard before

The Fugatto AI model was fed millions of audio samples by Nvidia employees in order to be trained to create a range of sounds that had never been heard by human ears

Researchers have developed an AI that they claim has created sounds that have never been heard before.

The AI model, called Fugatto, was developed by a team at computer chip company Nvidia who aimed to creat a "Swiss Army knife for sound." Fugatto is utilised by editing or generating audio using text prompts.

Some of the text prompts, such as removing particular instruments from songs or altering someone's accent. Nvidia's Richard Kerris said Fugatto was more dexterous than other AI models and could revolutionise music by creating new sounds.

He continued: "Fugatto can make a trumpet bark or a saxophone meow. Whatever users can describe, the model can create.”

According to The Independent a video that demonstrated the tool showed Fugatto developing an audio sample from a text prompt: "Deep, rumbling bass pulses paired with intermittent, high-pitched digital chirps, like the sound of a massive sentient machine waking up."

In another sample Fugatto transformed the sound of a train into a string ochestra. Ido Zmishlany, a producer who is part of the Nvidia Inception programme added: "This thing is wild. Sound is my inspiration. It’s what moves me to create music. The idea that I can create entirely new sounds on the fly in the studio is incredible.”

It took developers more than a year to create Fugatto and it required millions of audio samples in order to train it. While AI has shown its ability to create incredible sounds or videos with little input there are concerns about how the technology could impact creators or their work.

The Australian Association of Voice Actors warned earlier this year that some 5,000 local voice actors could be put out of work due to advancements in AI. But UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said today that AI offered a "golden opportunity" that could impact almost every part of people's lives around the country.

Some artists agree and believe AI could bring new creative possibilities to the industry. Mr Zmishlany said: "The history of music is also a history of technology. The electric guitar gave the world rock and roll.

“When the sampler showed up, hip-hop was born. With AI, we’re writing the next chapter of music. We have a new instrument, a new tool for making music – and that’s super exciting.”