How an AI Elvis Video Changed Nick Caves Mind

From Apocalypse to Artistic Device: Cave's Evolving View on AI

Not long ago, musician Nick Cave was one of art's most prominent critics of artificial intelligence. In 2023, after a fan sent him a song generated by ChatGPT "in the style of Nick Cave," he famously declared, "The apocalypse is well on its way." However, his perspective has recently evolved, thanks to a new project from a trusted collaborator.

In a response to a fan on his "Red Hand Files" site, Cave revealed that a new AI-driven music video has softened his stance. "As I watched Andrew’s surreal little film, I felt my view of AI as an artistic device soften," he wrote. "To some extent, my mind was changed."

The AI-Powered "Tupelo" Tribute

The video that prompted this shift was for "Tupelo," a song Cave and the Bad Seeds released as their second single back in 1985. The track, a long-time staple in his live performances, uses a historic flood in Tupelo, Mississippi as the mythical setting for the birth of Elvis Presley.

Filmmaker Andrew Dominik, known for directing films like Blonde and Cave's own documentary One More Time With Feeling, decided to create a video for the song's 40th anniversary. Dominik, who called AI "a tool, like any other," took a unique approach by using the technology to animate a collection of old, still photographs of Elvis, bringing the King's mythos to life in a new way.

From Skepticism to Awe

Cave admitted he was unaware of the project until Dominik presented him with the final cut. Given his prior reservations, he was initially skeptical when the filmmaker described how the video was made. As Dominik explained, "I’ve taken a series of still archival images and brought them to life using AI."

Dominik encouraged Cave to "suspend [his] fucking prejudices and take a look." After watching the visual several times, both he and his wife, Susie, were profoundly moved.

"[W]e found it to be an extraordinarily profound interpretation of the song — a soulful, moving, and entirely original retelling of ‘Tupelo’, rich in mythos and a touching tribute to the great Elvis Presley," Cave shared. He noted the AI-animated photos had an "uncanny quality, as if he had been raised from the dead," and found the video's closing imagery to be "both shocking and deeply affecting."

A Nuanced View, Not a Total Conversion

Despite being "blown away" by the video, Cave was careful to clarify that this doesn't mean he has fully embraced all forms of AI. He still harbors serious concerns about its application in other creative fields.

He specifically mentioned his apprehension about "writers using ChatGPT and other language models to do their creative work" and his fear of "song-generating platforms that reduce music to a mere commodity, by eliminating the artistic process and its attendant struggles entirely." For Cave, the distinction lies in using AI as a tool to execute a human vision, rather than as a replacement for the human creator.

The Strength in Changing One's Mind

Ultimately, the experience served as a powerful reminder for Cave about the value of intellectual flexibility. He concluded his letter by reflecting on the importance of the ability to "change one’s mind," which he described as "the very definition of strength."

"We pursue the truth wherever it may lead, remaining flexible and humble enough to adjust our views as new evidence emerges, regardless of how uncomfortable that may feel," he wrote. "It is ultimately a form of resilience, not a sign of weakness. Rigidity breaks; flexibility endures."