Comparing AI to drum machines—that's how Dr. Dre is responding to critics. In a New York Times interview published today (August 23), the hip-hop producer publicly confirmed for the first time that he uses AI in his production process, discussing the topic with longtime collaborator Jimmy Iovine in what's become one of music's most contentious debates in recent years.
"I was talking to a few people about this the other day," Dr. Dre said. "They were against AI, and I thought to myself, 'You sound just like the people who were against drum machines when they first came out.' Or synthesizers, right? This is a new creative tool. Some people are just afraid to learn something new." He continued: "I'm embracing it. I can't wait to see what happens next."
Asked specifically how he uses AI in production, Dr. Dre was relatively measured in his response, describing it as a "tool to see how it reacts to something I just made." He also pushed back on the idea that AI threatens musicians: "I think the only people who see it as a threat are the ones who already have trouble creating in the first place."
Iovine's stance was even more direct. "I'm all for AI in music-making," he said. "I don't see the downside at all. There's already a lot of bad music out there. In the studio, when talented people have AI, they make better work." Dre and Iovine have been longtime collaborators since the 1990s, and their jointly founded Beats Electronics was acquired by Apple for $3 billion in 2014. Iovine predicted back in 2023 that AI would become "huge" in songwriting, arguing it could help creators experiment when inspiration runs dry—though he also cautioned at the time that formulaic approaches might drive popularity without necessarily producing work that stands the test of time.
Dre and Iovine's comments land amid an industry clearly divided on the issue. Earlier this month, Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter described AI as "a way of bypassing the creative process," arguing that prompt-based operation goes against what should be a deeper, more instinctive process of artistic creation. Mac DeMarco, SZA, and Lorde have also strongly criticized AI's growing influence in music, while Jack Antonoff has directly attacked musicians who use it. On the other side, Tyga confirmed he used AI in the production of his album $tarface, comparing the backlash to the criticism Auto-Tune faced when it first arrived.
A recent study found that about 40% of music released in July 2026 could be detected as containing AI elements, though nearly a third of artists flagged by detection software denied using the technology. Streaming platforms are also stepping in: Spotify has announced an AI labeling system, Apple Music plans to add tags for AI-generated content later this year, and Bandcamp has outright banned AI-produced music from its platform.
As for Dr. Dre himself, his recent production work includes Snoop Dogg's 2024 album Missionary, seen as a spiritual sequel to the 1993 classic Doggystyle. He has also said he doesn't listen to much current hip-hop and doesn't like most of what he's heard.
