Following the recent release of his album, Play, Ed Sheeran has faced accusations of using artificial intelligence (AI) to write the lyrics, with some critics labeling them as “robotic.”
An insider told RadarOnline, “There may be three of them in his marriage—Ed, Cherry, and ChatGPT.” Another source added, “The AI question hangs over this record. Some of the lines feel too generic, too automated, as if they’ve been spat out by a bot. It is sad, because Ed at his best has always been personal and poetic. Here, it sounds like he’s outsourced his soul.” A UK review also branded the album “lyrically limp.” A source from a record label stated that while audiences don’t mind a polished sound, they “do mind the idea that their favorite songwriter isn’t writing anymore.”
A veteran producer weighed in, saying, “AI can churn out serviceable choruses in seconds. But what it can’t do is pain, joy, or the raw mess of being human. That’s why this Ed Sheeran debate matters—it goes to the heart of whether fans can still trust what they’re hearing.”
Conversely, Ed Sheeran himself has described his album as being written during the “darkest period” of his life.
