Do-It-With-Others

An Ode to Randomness in the Era of Stochastic Parrots

Abstract

This article proposes a critical analysis of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies applied to music, articulating concepts from the philosophy of technology (Heidegger), the political economy of music (Attali), relational aesthetics (Bourriaud), and DIY/DIWO countercultural practices. We argue that Generative AI represents the culmination of a technical tradition subsuming artistic creation under the logic of enframing (Gestell), intensifying cultural homogenization, planned obsolescence, and the aestheticization of pastiche. We trace the genealogy of algorithmic composition—from the Arca Musarithmica (17th century) to contemporary platforms like Boomy, UDIO, and Suno—revealing the erosion of aesthetic singularity and active listening. Conversely, we champion the political and poetic potential of noise, improvisation, and randomness, exemplifying practices such as circuit bending, adversarial noise, and cooperatives like Catalytic Sound. We contend that AI, rather than replacing human creativity, can be critically reclaimed as a tool for shared poiesis and symbolic resistance. We conclude by advocating for randomness and relationality as pathways to re-enchant listening and reinvent musical culture in the age of "stochastic parrots".