Queen guitarist Brian May has taken aim at artificial intelligence after using Meta AI to recreate the cover art for the band's classic 1980 album The Game, with the results seemingly proving his point.
May shared the AI-generated version of the cover on Instagram which bears only a passing resemblance to the original artwork featuring all four members of Queen standing side-by-side in matching leather jackets.
“I just had to share this with you guys. I asked Meta AI to show me what the cover of THE GAME album looked like. This is what it gave me ! Good job, eh ?” May wrote.
He then questioned whether the technology is really something humanity should embrace, adding: “So this is the kind of intelligence that will soon be ruling the world ??! Well, great. Maybe this is the time to realise WE ACTUALLY DON’T NEED AI !!”
May went on to make it clear that his concerns extend beyond AI-generated images and music, arguing that the infrastructure required to support the technology could have serious environmental consequences.
“I believe the price we are about to pay for this ‘inevitable’ development is way too high,” he continued. “We must not allow these hideous Data Centres to be built in the UK. They will destroy our beautiful country, like they are already destroying beautiful America.”
May concluded by directly appealing to Prime Minister Andy Burnham: “Dear Andy – you must stop it now. Before it’s too late.”
His comments come amid an ongoing debate among musicians and other creatives over the role AI should play in the arts. While some artists have embraced the technology as another creative tool, others have questioned its impact on human creativity and the future of music.
Earlier this year, 4 Non Blondes singer Linda Perry argued that artists should "embrace" AI, comparing its arrival to the introduction of the microwave. Dance producer Nia Archives, meanwhile, offered a much less optimistic assessment in July, saying AI music "wont last" and describing it as a potentially "fleeting technology moment."
For May, the issue comes at a time when the future of Queen remains uncertain. The band last toured North America in 2023 with Adam Lambert as part of the Rhapsody Tour, while their most recent live performances took place in Asia in early 2024.
Queen drummer Roger Taylor recently suggested that another tour could depend largely on May. “Well, it is a big machine to gear up, if you know what I mean. I think it’s more down to Brian than me. I love playing live. I enjoy it, always have,” he told BBC.
May has also ruled out touring the US for the time being, describing the country as a “dangerous place,” while previously saying Queen would not headline Glastonbury due to his disagreements with the festival’s politics.
The guitarist has also revealed that Queen worked on new material with Lambert and had discussed the possibility of bringing their show to the Sphere in Las Vegas. "I'm very keen on the Sphere," May said. "It's got my mind working."
However, Lambert said earlier this year that there was “nothing going on at the moment with Queen,” with the members currently taking time away from writing.
For now, May's AI experiment serves as a tongue-in-cheek reminder of why he remains skeptical of the technology. And while Queen's future on the road remains uncertain, the guitarist appears to have little interest in letting AI take the place of human creativity anytime soon.
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