Jack Antonoff expands his Bleachers campaign with scathing AI-art criticism, arguing creation needs an “ancient ritual” and real process.
Jack Antonoff isn’t just rolling out new music with Bleachers—he’s also taking direct aim at the growing use of artificial intelligence in making art.
Positioning his upcoming Bleachers album. “Everyone for Ten Minutes. ” as a project centered on “communication and how people interact with each other. ” the frontman used a fresh social media moment to sharpen his argument about creativity and the shortcuts reshaping it.. In an Instagram post dated “Update #13. ” he leaned into a lyrical phrase from the album—“only my people can see me”—to frame what he believes creativity should require.
In the post. Antonoff went after what he described as “godless whores” who create art with AI. characterizing the act of making as an “ancient ritual.” He argued that without the process. the work becomes “nothingness. ” rejecting the idea of creating by bypassing the steps that traditionally shape music.
“Update #13” also included a taunt aimed at those excited about “fake making art,” with Antonoff telling them to “drive right off that cliff.” He followed it with a remark of mock “genuine” happiness for anyone choosing that path, setting the tone as both a warning and a confrontation.
He continued by expanding his view of what generations will inherit: an expectation. he wrote. that future artists will still take part in the ritual of writing. recording. and performing as part of a tradition passed along over time.. In his framing. AI “bad actors” will expose themselves. while artists trying to survive on honest work will face even more pressure to make a living.
Antonoff specifically emphasized writing music. recording it. and performing it as the core of the practice. adding that he found it “nothing more embarrassing” than believing the holy process could be optimized.. The message functioned as a kind of mission statement for his camp—his band. and the people he knows—while tying his stance directly to the creative identity he’s building around the album.
The Instagram post landed as part of a wider lead-up campaign for “Everyone for Ten Minutes. ” where the album’s “only my people can see me” motif has shown up in a series of caption-style missives.. Alongside the more intense updates. he shared lighter glimpses too. including a message that read like “ancient ritual :: only our people can see us sending love!. how’s everyone been?. hi from a plane.”
Antonoff’s larger reputation in pop music also adds weight to the critique.. Beyond Bleachers. he’s known as a high-demand producer who has worked on collaborations with major artists including Taylor Swift. Lorde. and Lana Del Rey. among others.. His willingness to speak sharply about AI therefore arrives not only as a personal opinion. but as a public position from someone deeply embedded in how contemporary music gets made.
His hostility toward replacing human craft has been visible for a while.. As the role of AI in the arts became increasingly prominent in 2023. he pushed back on the idea that the technology would replace the craft itself.. Even then. he argued that he didn’t think it would truly do anything to art. while emphasizing that being near something created by a human is a major part of the experience.
That earlier stance also included a warning about the business fallout for working artists. He said AI could “f–k up the commerce for a lot of struggling artists,” pointing to a cycle where the business side tries to “disrupt” or break what isn’t actually broken—leaving artists to absorb the damage.
More recently. an interview published Tuesday continued the thread. with Antonoff describing what he sees as “destruction” spreading across the artist community.. At the same time. he suggested he sees a shift emerging: from a “heart-and-soul” perspective. he believes there is an “amazing renaissance” among him and the people he knows.
He tied that optimism to generational energy. saying that the loudest voices insisting everything is “f–ked” seem to be “a bunch of old guys.” Antonoff added that after crossing forty. he’s “never been more excited” about what he makes. what his band makes. and what he hears coming from younger people.
For fans watching “Everyone for Ten Minutes” take shape, Antonoff’s message lands as more than a debate about technology—it reframes the album’s themes around communication and interaction, positioning creative work as something built through human effort rather than engineered shortcuts.
Jack Antonoff Bleachers Everyone for Ten Minutes AI art Instagram post music production