J-Pop’s Legendary Hitmaker Was Beaten by an AI — And It’s Now AKB48’s New Official Song

TL;DR Akimoto, Japan’s best-selling lyricist, competed against an AI version of himself in a songwriting contest for AKB48’s 20th anniversary. The AI-generated song, “Omoide Scroll,” won the public vote and became the group’s 67th official single. Despite Akimoto’s disappointment, the song’s success highlights the growing influence of AI in the music industry.