Black Sherif, Technology Will Not Wait For You: AI is Transforming Music, Farming And The World

Ghanaian artist Black Sherif has reportedly made it clear that he’s not keen on leaning on artificial intelligence (AI) to keep his music career going. He mentioned that if he ever lost his voice, he’d prefer to head back to his farm and spend his days writing poems and books instead of turning to AI for music creation.

While every musician has the freedom to choose how they want to make music and which technologies they want to adopt, I think it’s worth questioning this stance, especially in a time when technology is evolving at lightning speed and reshaping nearly every part of our lives.

With all due respect to Black Sherif, this viewpoint seems like a form of resistance to the inevitable changes that technology is bringing to our world. Technology isn’t waiting for anyone, no matter how popular, talented, or set in their ways they might be.

GEN Z talk?
Technology is advancing faster every day.
Let’s take a stroll down memory lane and explore the evolution of music distribution. There was a time when cassette tapes ruled the music scene. Artists recorded their tracks on these tapes, and fans eagerly snatched them up from shops, street vendors, and bustling markets. The cassette industry was a lifeline for musicians, distributors, retailers, and countless others who relied on it for their livelihoods.

Then, along came compact discs, or CDs as we know them. The music world gradually warmed up to this shiny new format, and cassette tapes started to fade into the background.

Fast forward to today, and digital music platforms have completely reshaped the landscape. Now, people can stream millions of songs right from their smartphones, without ever needing to buy a cassette or a CD. Musicians can share their work globally without the hassle of producing physical copies or being tied down by traditional record labels.

Picture a musician arguing that CDs shouldn’t have taken the place of cassettes because the cassette industry once provided steady income. Or imagine another artist claiming that digital platforms shouldn’t exist because they pose a threat to traditional music distribution.

Would we really halt progress just to appease them?

Absolutely not.
If we applied that same logic to every technological advancement, we might as well suggest that musicians go back to hawking their music on the streets or at Kejetia Market in Kumasi, just like they did in the past. After all, physical music sales were once a cornerstone of the industry.

But that’s not how progress unfolds. Markets evolve, consumer tastes shift, and new technologies open up exciting new avenues.

The issue isn’t that traditional music sales have no value. Rather, it’s that no industry can cling to a specific technology just because it was once effective.

Artificial intelligence isn’t just a fleeting fad. It’s a groundbreaking technology that has the power to transform how we work, create, communicate, do business, and tackle challenges.

In the realm of music, AI can lend a hand with everything from composing and sound production to mastering, songwriting, experimentation, and promotion. It offers creative tools for both seasoned musicians and independent artists who might not have access to pricey recording studios or large production teams.

That said, this doesn’t mean AI will take over every musician’s role, nor does it guarantee that every song created by AI will hit the charts. The essence of music, human creativity, originality, emotion, cultural identity, and the ability to connect with listeners, remains irreplaceable.

AI has the potential to empower artists with disabilities or physical challenges, allowing them to keep expressing their creativity. It can also give musicians the chance to explore ideas that might be tough or costly to bring to life otherwise.

However, using AI to mimic someone's voice brings up some serious issues around consent, ownership, authenticity, and fair compensation. It's crucial that any application of this technology honors the rights and wishes of the artist involved.

These concerns should inspire responsible innovation rather than a blanket rejection of the technology itself.

It's also important to differentiate between using AI as a creative tool and letting it completely take over an artist's identity. Musicians should have the freedom to choose how much technology they want to weave into their work. At the same time, they need to acknowledge that the tools available to future generations might look very different from what shaped their own careers.

What makes this conversation even more intriguing is Black Sherif's reported inclination to return to farming if he ever loses his voice.

Farming is a noble profession, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with a successful musician opting for agriculture, writing, or any other career path. In fact, branching out into agriculture can be a wise choice.

But if the argument is that one should leave their profession instead of embracing AI, what happens when AI starts to revolutionize that alternative profession too?

Agriculture is already reaping the benefits of technological advancements. Around the globe, farmers are diving into automated irrigation, satellite monitoring, digital weather forecasting, precision farming, crop-disease detection, and data-driven strategies to enhance their farming practices.

AI is stepping up to help farmers by analyzing soil conditions, spotting pests, predicting crop losses, estimating yields, and guiding smarter decisions about when to plant and harvest.

Picture a farmer in Ghana who leverages AI-driven weather insights to fine-tune planting schedules, catch early signs of crop diseases, or figure out the perfect timing for irrigation. By pairing these tools with solid agricultural knowledge and resources, they can significantly cut down on avoidable losses and boost productivity.

In the realm of livestock farming, technology plays a crucial role in keeping tabs on animal health and managing feeding routines. Meanwhile, in food processing and distribution, AI can help businesses anticipate demand, minimize waste, and streamline supply-chain planning.

These advancements are becoming increasingly vital as African nations strive to enhance food security, ramp up agricultural productivity, cut down on post-harvest losses, and create job opportunities for the youth.

However, it’s important to remember that technology alone won’t solve all our agricultural challenges. Farmers still need access to land, financing, quality seeds, fertilizers, water, machinery, infrastructure, and dependable markets. Plus, AI tools must be affordable and tailored to local conditions.

Still, it’s clear that change is on the horizon: farming, much like music, is not immune to the wave of technological progress.

If Black Sherif opts for farming over AI-enhanced music production, that’s his choice. But it would be a mistake to think that farming will remain untouched by the same technological forces that are transforming the entertainment industry.

The farmer of the future may need to be well-versed in both agriculture and digital technology.

One of the biggest hurdles for individuals and businesses is the tendency to cling to the methods that brought them success in the past.

Success can sometimes lead to a misleading sense of stability. People start to think that just because a certain approach worked for them, it will always be relevant.

But history tells a different story.
We've seen businesses that once ruled their markets fade away because they couldn't keep up with the times. Products that used to be must-haves have lost their charm as consumers found better options. Entire careers have evolved as machines and digital tools took over tasks that were once done by people.

We’ve all seen how Shatta Wale took advantage of Facebook Live at a time when many bigger artists thought going live on Facebook was funny and laughable.

A decade later, we’ve seen some artists’ careers collapse, while others have regretted not taking advantage of the platform when they had the opportunity. One notable example is Ex Doe, who, a few years ago, posted on his Facebook wall expressing regret over not taking advantage of Facebook Live at the time.

The lesson is simple: never underestimate an opportunity just because others don’t see its value. Sometimes, what people laugh at today becomes the game changer tomorrow.

Take calculators, for instance, they didn’t wipe out math. Computers didn’t make human intelligence obsolete. Digital cameras revolutionized photography, and smartphones transformed how billions of people connect, share information, and do business.

These changes have posed challenges for some sectors while creating fresh opportunities in others.

AI is likely to bring about similar shifts. Some jobs will evolve, certain tasks will be automated, and some professions will feel the heat. Yet, new opportunities will arise, shaped by factors like education, investment, infrastructure, policy, and access to technology.

That’s why our best approach should be to prepare, not to deny.

Musicians should dive into emerging technologies and grasp how these tools could impact their craft. Farmers ought to look into practical innovations that can boost their yields and profits. Businesses need to find ways to enhance efficiency while ensuring fair treatment for their employees. Governments should channel resources into digital infrastructure, research, education, and training.

Our educational institutions must gear up young people for a future where tech skills could become increasingly vital.

For Ghana and Africa, this conversation is particularly crucial. We can’t afford to overlook developments that could shape our global competitiveness, job market, agriculture, manufacturing, and creative sectors.

We need to build our own technological capabilities instead of just being consumers of technologies created elsewhere.

Artists shouldn’t feel pressured to embrace AI, and we shouldn’t let technological advancements overshadow the livelihoods of musicians or ignore their intellectual property rights. The music industry really needs to tackle issues like copyright, consent, fair pay, and the unauthorized use of artists’ voices and identities.

It’s crucial to protect human creativity, even as technology keeps moving forward.

That said, there’s a big difference between opting out of a specific tool and brushing aside the larger changes happening around us.

An artist can choose to create music without AI. A farmer might stick to traditional farming techniques. A writer could prefer the feel of pen and paper over digital devices. These are all personal choices.

However, it’s important for individuals, businesses, and society as a whole to recognize that the world will keep evolving.

The most successful people in the future might be those who blend their natural talents and experiences with a grasp of new technologies. They won’t necessarily ditch tradition; instead, they’ll know when to hold onto it and when to adapt.

Black Sherif has shown that talent, originality, and a unique artistic identity can open doors in the music industry. The real question is whether the next wave of musicians can merge those traits with the opportunities that AI presents, all while staying true to themselves.

In the same vein, Ghanaian farmers should be able to mix their rich agricultural heritage with modern technology to boost productivity and enhance food security.

We ought to be guiding our young people to understand these changes, rather than instilling a fear of every new invention.

The shift from cassettes to CDs and then from CDs to digital platforms shows us that technological change is nothing new. What sets today apart is the lightning-fast pace of innovation and the wide range of industries it impacts all at once.

AI has the potential to revolutionize music, agriculture, education, healthcare, business, and so many other fields. Its influence won’t be the same everywhere, and not everyone will automatically reap the benefits. That’s exactly why we need to invest in education, infrastructure, regulation, and innovation.

We should be asking how AI can assist musicians in their creative processes, how it can help farmers increase their yields, how it can make businesses more competitive, and how it can enhance the everyday lives of people.

At the same time, we need to consider how to protect workers, how artists can maintain control over their work, and how African nations can steer clear of becoming overly reliant on technology.

These are the crucial questions that deserve our focus.

If Black Sherif ever finds himself unable to sing, he might decide to return to his farm and write books. That would be his choice, and there’s dignity in every honest line of work.

However, I sincerely hope his comments don’t signal a wider dismissal of the possibilities that technology can bring.

We’ve moved past the cassette age. We’ve left the CD era behind. Digital platforms have reshaped how music is shared, and AI is ushering in a new chapter in human creativity.

Farming is evolving too.
We can’t cling to the idea that the future must adhere to the rules of the past. We need to learn, adapt, innovate, and get ready for the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

Technology won’t pause for Black Sherif, for Ghana, or for Africa. It will keep pushing forward. Our job is to make sure we’re ready to embrace that progress while safeguarding the lives of those it touches.

I really hope that Black Sherif’s remarks aren’t a blanket dismissal of technological progress, but rather just a reflection of his personal taste in music-making.

The truth is, whether we dive in headfirst or take a more measured approach, AI is set to become a bigger part of our lives moving forward.

And let’s not forget, the future isn’t just for the innovators who develop new technologies; it’s also for those who figure out how to use them thoughtfully and effectively