Empire of the Sun singer Luke Steele has defended the use of artificial intelligence in music-making, telling iHeartRadio Canada that he uses AI tools "of course" and views them as simply another instrument at a musician's disposal. His comments add him to a growing list of prominent musicians publicly weighing in on AI's role in creative work, a debate that has intensified as more artists experiment with the technology while others warn it threatens the authenticity of songwriting.

Steele likened AI-assisted studio tools to "a really smart guitar pedal" and argued the technology would "empower artists that know how to use it," making them "unstoppable," while warning that artists who resist it "have got to be careful" or risk being overtaken. He declined to address questions about AI's environmental impact. The article contrasts his relatively measured stance with Boy George, who has used ChatGPT to write entire albums and recently released a controversial AI-made pro-Israel track, and with Jack Antonoff, who has strongly criticised AI use in songwriting as undermining a "holy process." Empire of the Sun are currently touring North America on their "Ask That God: Afterlife" tour through October.