‘I feel like I’m at war’: are we losing the battle…

The music industry faces a growing crisis of authenticity as AI-generated tracks increasingly infiltrate mainstream charts, exemplified by the controversy surrounding Fenix Flexin’s single Rubberz. The track, which reached No 58 on the Billboard Hot 100, sparked intense debate after listeners questioned its uncanny, non-human quality.

What happened

After Rubberz was released in June, skeptics immediately alleged the use of artificial intelligence, a claim initially denied by Fenix Flexin and his producer, Purps on the Beat. The controversy peaked when indie DJ-producer Medasin posted a video demonstrating that the song could be replicated using the free generative music tool Treblo. Despite Fenix initially attempting to counter these claims by sharing song stems, Medasin demonstrated that AI-generated tracks can also be broken down into individual components. Fenix eventually admitted to using AI to create the song, stating that while he used the technology, it had nothing to do with his personal recording process.

This admission was supported by Treblo’s own open-source classifier, which indicated a very high probability that the song was generated by their model. Ryan Tremblay, co-founder of Treblo, confirmed the tool’s output, noting that the model is designed for everyone from home experimenters to charting artists. The incident highlights a broader industry shift, as major record labels, including Universal Music Group, Sony Music, and Warner Music Group, have called for global music charts to disqualify AI-generated tracks that are not substantially human-made or properly authorized. As Billboard reports that at least six AI-assisted artists debuted on their charts in 2025, the proliferation of these tools has drawn sharp condemnation from high-profile artists who argue that AI-generated music is trained on copyrighted work without consent, thereby debasing the craft of human musicians.