Nile Rodgers gave fans a look at how his crew was “creating an AI me” for his upcoming Christmas music video. The behind-the-scenes clip sparked a debate about how the video was made before anyone had seen the finished product.
The Chic co-founder is making a video for a new version of “The Christmas Song,” his 2020 charity collaboration with Rebecca Ferguson. Rodgers said he began imagining what he could do with music and elaborate visual environments after seeing the Eagles at Sphere in Las Vegas. He shared footage from the capture session on Instagram, then followed it with stills from the project. Some fans pushed back on his decision to use generative AI.
Rodgers’ defense came down to who was making the creative decisions. He said his team built mood boards and storyboards and approached the project as they would a film. “The AI did what we told it to do,” he wrote. He estimated a traditional production would have cost about $100,000.
REELated:
Miley Cyrus tearfully honors Dolly Parton at the Hollywood Bowl
He got more pointed with some critics, arguing that people already encounter AI in everyday tools such as search and driving directions. That’s where the disagreement gets interesting. Rodgers is talking about how much creative control his team kept. His critics are asking what happens to the work a conventional shoot would have required. The $100,000 estimate makes that tension more concrete than a general argument about whether artists should use AI.
Rodgers said the team was working to have the video ready by Nov. 20. For now, the debate is running ahead of the premiere.
