Singer-songwriter Paris Paloma urged her audience to avoid using artificial intelligence and support human artists during her performance at Bilbao BBK Live 2026 [1].
The plea highlights the growing tension between generative AI technology and the livelihoods of creative professionals. As AI-generated music becomes more prevalent, artists are increasingly using their platforms to advocate for human-led creation and intellectual property rights.
Paloma delivered the message on the first day of the festival while performing on the San Miguel stage [1]. The statement came as a direct appeal to the crowd regarding the consumption and creation of music in the digital age.
"If you want to support artists, don’t use AI," Paloma said [1].
The artist made the proclamation shortly before performing her recent single, "Miyazaki" [1]. The moment served as a focal point for the festival's opening day, connecting a live musical experience with the broader debate over automation in the arts.
Paloma's stance aligns with a wider movement of musicians who argue that AI models often rely on the unauthorized use of human-created work to train their systems. By urging listeners to consciously choose human artists, she emphasized the value of authentic human expression over algorithmic output.
While the festival continued with various acts, the call to action from the San Miguel stage underscored the vulnerability of songwriters in an era of rapid technological shifts [1].
“"If you want to support artists, don’t use AI"”
This incident reflects a deepening ideological divide in the music industry as artists attempt to establish ethical boundaries for AI. By framing the use of AI as a lack of support for human creators, Paloma is shifting the conversation from technical capability to moral responsibility for the consumer.
