As artificial intelligence-generated music spreads across Samoa, artists and community members say frequent mispronunciation of Samoan words could weaken language skills and cultural understanding among younger generations.

Musician Umu Bourne said he was sad about how AI handles lyrics' pronunciation. 

"Music is supposed to feel human, and when the words come out awkward, flat, or mispronounced, it breaks the emotional connection. Lyrics carry meaning, culture, and soul, and when that’s lost in translation, the song loses part of its heart. It’s frustrating because the potential is there, but the execution still hurts the art,” he said.

“Our language carries history, respect, and identity, and when it’s spoken wrong, it feels like that meaning is being stripped away. For the younger generation, this can be damaging, teaching them incorrect sounds, weakening their connection to the culture, and turning something sacred into something careless. 

"Music is powerful, and when it gets the language wrong, it doesn’t uplift—it confuses and erodes."

Umu warned that AI risks flattening and oversimplifying the Samoan language. He said Samoan isn’t just a set of words; it carries layers of meaning, respect, rhythm, and cultural context. He said when AI reduces it to basic sounds or inaccurate patterns, it strips away those layers and turns a rich, living language into something shallow. 

Artist Calvina Tafu said mispronounced Samoan words confuse listeners, especially young children who are still learning the language and protecting accurate pronunciation is important to help preserve the Samoan language for future generations.

Agenese Lino said the use of AI in this manner should be banned because of the danger it poses to the future of the Samoan language.

Annfereni Sene added that AI-powered tools often fail to accurately represent Samoan phonetics and cultural nuances.

Community members shared similar frustrations. Salua Kitara, 43, said he had lost interest in music because of AI.

“Twenty years ago, I was listening to Punialava’a, Ti’afau’s music, the originals. The new generation has changed our Samoan words, and it has lost our spirit in our own old Samoan music,” said Solofa, 46.

Dr Rome, another Samoan artist, said, this was disrespectful to the Samoan language. 

"When I first heard the first AI Samoan song, I was so mad, especially when everybody loves the song regardless of the pronunciation. Later on, more songs came out, and I know for sure AI is taking over the music industry," he said.

"The sad part is that there is nothing we can do about it. AI is here to stay, and we have to accept the changes, and it is a big challenge for all the artists.”