Dr. Dre has spent decades shaping the sound of hip-hop, producing the genre’s most celebrated and influential works. As artificial intelligence continues to spark debate across the entertainment industry, the legendary producer isn’t shying away from the technological shift. He is taking an open-minded approach and “embracing” AI as a tool, while suggesting that some people who oppose the technology may simply be afraid to learn something new.
The use of AI in music has sparked a heated debate, with critics raising concerns about originality, artists’ rights, and the potential for the technology to replace human creativity. Dr. Dre, who has collaborated with some of the biggest hip-hop artists, including Eminem, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar, and N.W.A., doesn’t see the technology as something to fear.
Longtime collaborators and business partners Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine share the same stance and are both pro-AI. In an interview with The New York Times, Iovine said that gifted people “make better records” with the aid of AI. However, he acknowledged that AI companies have “the worst public relations,” which results in pushback.
Dr. Dre, on the other hand, said he doesn’t see the technology as a threat, adding, “I think the only people that see it as a threat are the people who have trouble creating.”
Dr. Dre shared that he had discussions with people who oppose AI, comparing their resistance to those who once rejected drum machines and synthesizers when the technologies were first introduced.
“It’s a new tool for creativity. Some people are afraid of learning new things. I’m embracing it. I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen with this,” he added.
The producer confirmed that he uses AI as part of his music-making process, but only to alter or build upon material that he has already created. “Yes, I’m using it. Again, as a tool to see what it would do with what I just did,” he emphasized.
Jimmy Iovine Claims There Are Many ‘Closet AI Producers’
Iovine, who also said he uses AI, revealed that many music producers make use of the technology in their work but don’t want that information to become public knowledge, referring to them as “closet AI producers.”
Dr. Dre agreed, saying, “That’s a good way to put it. They’re using it, they just don’t want to admit it.
Iovine and Dr. Dre aren’t the only iconic producers who have admitted to using A.I. Timbaland, who has collaborated with Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, and Justin Timberlake, among others, is also a supporter of A.I. and is actively involved with Suno, the controversial AI music creation platform.
Timbaland partnered with the company in 2024 and said he spends several hours using the platform to rework existing beats from his library. “You still need that human element to operate this tool. It doesn’t replace anything. All it does is add to your arsenal,” he said, per Rolling Stone.
Dr. Dre Changed T.I.’s Mind About AI
Rapper T.I. said that he was “emphatically against” the use of AI in music, but has since changed his stance after having a conversation with Dr. Dre.
In a December 2025 episode of his podcast “expediTIously,” guest Dallas Austin asked T.I. about what he thought of AI in music. T.I. revealed that Dr. Dre told him he uses AI tools in his process and even sent him some of the work he did.
“He was like, ‘No, it’s still work. You still have to work, be talented, and have programming to do what you want it to do. It’s just an advantage’,” the iconic producer told him. Looking at it from Dr. Dre’s perspective, the rapper said he changed his mind about the technology, adding, “I kind of understood.”
AI Music Creation Platforms Are Facing Lawsuits
The record label Round Hill Music is suing AI music creation platforms Suno and Anthropic over infringement. The music publishing company claims the AI platforms used thousands of copyrighted songs to train their systems to create AI-generated music.
Round Hill Music alleges that Suno “built its entire model on copyright infringement” and said the damages could “exceed $1 billion,” as reported by Billboard. The record label’s CEO, Josh Gruss, noted that they are not against the use of AI. Rather, they are suing because the platforms have built businesses based on other people’s creative work.
Music industry giants Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group also filed lawsuits against Suno, and the cases are still ongoing.
