Disappointing… Whether we like it or not, it’s become increasingly clear that artificial intelligence — specifically when it comes to generative AI in music — is here to stay. Of course, this is hardly a dismissal of the very real issue of AI “artists” not only stealing both streams and intellectual property from actual, human artists. With that being said, however, it’s an issue that we’re going to have to deal with (and actively protest) for the foreseeable future until restrictions can be made and legislation can be signed to limit it. Unfortunately, it seems as if that’s a long way away at the time being. And despite calls from nearly every artist in existence, highlighted by a 200+ person letter signed by the Artist Rights Alliance which includes the likes of Billie Eilish, Jon Bon Jovi, Stevie Wonder, Rosanne Cash, Kacey Musgraves, Chappell Roan and many more all the way back in April of 2024, we’ve seen bad actors profiting off of AI-generated music for the better part of a year at this point. This was highlighted most notably back in October when a completely AI-generated “artist” going by the name of Breaking Rust captured the #1 spot on a Billboard country chart. Given that this was the first primary instance of a completely AI-generated song going #1 on any major Billboard chart, it caused quite a stir in the music community. Our very own Aaron Ryan, who broke the story here at Whiskey Riff, ended up appearing on NPR’s podcast to explain the whole ordeal. As you can tell, the AI epidemic infiltrating music is very real and very concerning, and it’s made even worse when you consider the fact that Spotify, the worldwide leader in terms of music consumption, is actively promoting the use of AI. In case you missed it, this came to light when the company announced that they will be rolling out a brand new paid add-on for premium users that… allows them to “cover” and “remix” songs from select UMG artists using AI. The one thing that has been pretty much universally agreed on at this point in the AI debate is the simple fact that it’s musicians, artists, actors and pretty much everyone who has an ounce of respect for the arts are fighting against corporations and corner-cutters, who are constantly pushing it onto the public. Unfortunately, Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges not only promoted the use of Suno, the leading AI music “creation” software, but also admitted that he actively uses it during a recent conversation with Theo Von on his podcast, This Past Weekend. Jeff Bridges shows Theo Von how he uses AI to write and record songs, playing a Suno-generated track about his wife Sue "It's frightening, man. It's very frightening, but it's an amalgamation of all our wisdom, our soul, our things." "All the guys in Nashville are using it now.… pic.twitter.com/kF7CFVEnPw — Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) June 26, 2026 Bridges, who is best known for his role as “The Dude” in The Big Lebowski, would begin his praise of artificial intelligence by calling it an “amalgamation” of all of mankind’s wisdom and soul, despite the fact that AI, by nature, is completely soulless. “AI, it’s frightening, man. It’s very frightening, but it’s an amalgamation of all our wisdom, our soul, our things.” The Crazy Heart actor would then launch into what can only be described as an ad for Suno, showing off the country song (which sounds as generic and soulless as you’d imagine) that he generated for the comedian. Bridges would then go on to claim that “all the guys in Nashville” are using Suno to create music, claiming that it’s a cost-cutting measure. Of course, this is completely ignoring the fact that the costs that are getting cut are real, human musicians and sound engineers. “All the guys in Nashville are using it now. Instead of going into the studio and paying, you know, $10,000, they can do this for nothing, man.” When Von sorta pushed back and asked if there was any inherent value to “creating music” with AI, the 2x Golden Globe winner would essentially dodge the question, simply claiming that AI is the future and describing generating music as “more challenging” than actually creating it yourself…. wait… WHAT!? More challenging that spending years to hone a craft? Give me a break, Jeff. Here’s the real kicker though…. Bridges is a real musician with recorded music, he’s released multiple albums and performs concerts. He isn’t just some no-musical-talent actor goofing around in his bedroom thinking “this is so cool!” Unsurprisingly, folks online were quick to pounce on Bridges for his shameless promotion of Suno and AI-generated “music.” Saying what most of us are thinking, many pointed out how disappointing it is to see someone who made his career in the arts promote something that is so inherently anti-art. I bet if he was 30 facing ai actors he would sing a different tune…duuuuude — Crypto Coconuts (@TheCryptoNuts) June 26, 2026 Taking the soul out of music. Yuck. — A Walk in the Rain (@AWalkIntheRain) June 26, 2026 Bit of a strange take from someone who earns their living as an artist. I’m not anti AI in full but this is a bit much. — Michele Ari (@micheleari) June 26, 2026 No, it’s not an amalgamation of our souls. It’s actually, quite literally, soulless. It’s sad to see the boomers buying into AI. pic.twitter.com/PSB814ujM1 — Faithless Town (@faithlesstown) June 26, 2026 Generative AI is less an "amalgamation of our wisdom" and more an outright theft of everyone's work, stolen in broad daylight for the benefit of people who don't value it at all. — Kevin Gamble Music (@KevGambleMusic) June 26, 2026 As mentioned previously, it’s one thing when a faceless corporation or business investor peddles the use of AI to the masses. At this point, that’s something you should expect at this point given the billions upon billions of dollars that are currently being invested at AI currently. It’s another thing entirely when you have an Academy Award winner going on one of the biggest podcasts in the country and promoting its use and subsequently undermining his fellow artists. Incredibly disappointing stuff from Bridges. But we’ll remember this conversation when AI starts coming for actors jobs (it already can)… my guess is he won’t be so pumped about AI anymore. Watch the full podcast here: The post Jeff Bridges Under Fire For Shamelessly Hyping Suno AI To Make Music: “All The Guys In Nashville Are Using It” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.