Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson on AI And Christmas

A new season of Twelve Songs begins with a conversation that is, frankly, more about AI—artificial intelligence—than it is Christmas music, but since we’re six months from the holiday, it seems like a good time for this conversation.

Last year, I interviewed Steven Wilson of the British prog rock band Porcupine Tree about “December Skies,” a song he recorded on his own with lyrics written in part by Chat GPT, an AI program. We talked about the whys and hows and considered some of the issues connected to AI. At a time when the reflexive stance toward it is skeptical, I was glad to talk to an artist who is working out a more nuanced relationship to it.

Part of this interview ran last year, but this is the first chance I’ve had to run it in its entirety.

This conversation has become more relevant with the success of the AI “group” Velvet Sundown and the recent controversy over an AI imitation of the rock band Toto appearing for a short time on the band’s Spotify page.

The episode ends with The Soul Duo’s “Just a Sad Xmas,” which is on sale now through the Numero Group.