When Nigy Boy unveiled the visuals for his latest single, Stinkin’ Rich, the result left viewers doing a double-take. The striking scenes — including moments that depict the artiste as a child — make it so hard to believe the entire production was generated using artificial intelligence (AI).

The ambitious project marks a rare experiment within the local music landscape, where AI technology is beginning to influence visual storytelling.

The concept was not originally intended to replace the traditional approach to filming a video. Julian Jones-Griffith, chief executive officer of Pop Style Music — the label under which the song was released — explained that a live-action video had already been shot when the idea for an AI version emerged during the editing process.

“We actually shot a music video for it also, but the editor came up with this idea while we were waiting,” he told the Jamaica Observer. “When I saw what he did I realised he achieved things that would’ve been extremely hard and expensive to do in real life — the scenes of Nigy as a child, for example. It was too good not to release.”

While the use of AI in creative industries has sparked intense debate globally, the music executive said Nigy Boy and his team were immediately intrigued by the possibilities. He said creating the AI video required far fewer resources than a traditional shoot and resulted in decent visuals that were platform-ready within a short turnaround time.

“Nigy and his team loved the concept, and the response to the visuals so far has been universally very positive. I think that’s because the quality is so high. Everyone wants to know who did it and what platform they used,” he shared. “They used photos of Nigy when he was young to recreate scenes and, in terms of difficulty, it was done in an editing suite. Now, compared to having to get cast and crew to several locations, pay for so many things, and depend on so many people, the process was much easier.”

However, despite high project efficiency, Jones-Griffith said he is well aware of the wider implications that AI technology could have on the creative landscape. Admitting that the pace at which the technology is developing is “scary”, the label owner said the effects could cause a devastating blow to the creative industries.

“AI content is scary in respect of how good it’s getting so quickly,” he said. “It’s going to damage many industries, especially the creative ones. For example, if you have a vision of what you want for graphics or videos, you will be able to cut out creatives by simply putting in the appropriate prompts. That will save money, time, and stress for some, but at what cost to others? We can’t just cut people out of their livelihood.”

He was particularly outspoken about how many AI-generated musicians have already entered the global music industry and the impact that has already caused.

“I’m absolutely against AI music artistes and AI music, but, unfortunately, though, it’s just a matter of time before there’s a global superstar that doesn’t exist in reality. It will probably happen in Japan first and then spread. Major record companies will pretend they are against it, but the money and the headaches they save will override that,” he said.

He then went on to outline that while his team is proud of the final result, their dance with AI was largely experimental rather than a sign of a new permanent direction.

“We love it, but it’s not something I think we would look to do often. It was more of an experiment. As I mentioned, we also shot a live-action video and will still be releasing that, so I guess people will decide which one they prefer,” Jones-Griffith told Splash.

Over the past few months, as AI technology continues to develop, it has become increasingly difficult for consumers to separate real footage from content generated through AI. Its use in the local music landscape is also becoming more prominent, as at least one AI-generated artiste has already emerged. Late last year, Grammy-nominated producer NotNice signed S’riah (pronounced Soraya), an AI-generated singer. On the global music scene, Xania Monet, an artiste generated through AI, was offered a multimillion-dollar record deal.

Nigy Boy