A scene in music video 'Mắt Bão' (Eye of the Storm) by Phạm Vĩnh Khương. Photo courtesy of the artist

Director Phạm Vĩnh Khương has released his latest music project, a music video (MV) titled Mắt Bão (Eye of the Storm), created with the support of AI and dedicated to those affected by recent floods.

This is the first time an MV with a message of support, gratitude to volunteers, benefactors, and charities has been entirely created using AI, marking a significant milestone in the entertainment industry.

Khương, also known as PaulDolly, is a pioneer in applying AI technology to create art with a community focus.

Eye of the Storm features images of collapsed Phong Châu bridge, houses submerged in floodwaters, residents braving the rain and floods, and aid teams embodying the spirit of solidarity and compassion.

According to Khương, this music project delivers a powerful message about connection and humanity. By applying AI technology, it showcases innovation and creativity in addressing social issues through art.

The entire production process, from image design to music production, was carried out using AI tools, a rarity in the music industry today.

The director emphasised that the project is not for profit but is driven by charitable and social intentions.

“When technology and art combine for a noble cause, we see products that are not just for entertainment but also contribute positively to addressing social issues. Eye of the Storm is a vivid testament to this and represents an important step forward in the use of AI in the arts, spreading humanitarian messages and offering society positive content,” he said.

AI race

In recent years, AI has been increasingly applied in the global entertainment industry, supporting artists in creating impressive works. Following this trend, Vietnamese singers are investing more in music videos that utilise AI, hoping to capture public attention.

The cover of Hà Trần's album 'Những Con Sông Ngón Tay' (Finger Rivers).

For example, renowned singer Hà Trần incorporated AI-generated landscape photos and artwork in her album Những Con Sông Ngón Tay (Finger Rivers). She noted that these artificial images, soft and gentle, perfectly align with the album’s meaning and message.

AI-generated image of singer Đan Trường in MV 'Em Ơi Ví Dầu'. Photo courtesy of the artist

Similarly, celebrated singer Đan Trường attracted attention with his folk-inspired MV Em Ơi Ví Dầu, which was created entirely using AI. His team spent two months producing the MV, generating over 600 images using AI tools like Leonardo and Runway (Gen-3). The challenge lay in using AI to create movement, as these tools can only generate video segments of four seconds, requiring significant time and effort.

Singer Hà Anh Tuấn portraited by AI in MV 'Hoa Hồng' (Roses). Photo courtesy of the artist

Other artists, like Hà Anh Tuấn and Vũ Thanh Vân, are taking their first steps in AI application. In Tuấn’s visualiser MV Hoa Hồng (Roses), promoting his live concert Sketch a Rose in Singapore and Australia, AI was used to create simple, looping animated images.

Meanwhile, in Vân’s MV Khó Để Yêu: Part 1 & 2 (Hard to Love: Part 1 & 2), the use of AI was limited, as the technology is still developing and the image quality did not meet high standards.

The use of AI in producing MVs has enhanced interactivity and virality on social media platforms, opening up new avenues for artists to engage with the public and build their brands.

Controversy

Just two days after its release, Đan Trường’s MV Em Ơi Ví Dầu garnered over 260,000 views, showing that the use of AI can spark curiosity and discussions among audiences.

However, some viewers pointed out issues, such as lag in the mouth movements syncing with lyrics and stiffness in the AI-generated singer’s face, making it appear less lifelike. Dynamic scenes were also flawed, with blurry quality and distorted body proportions.

Trường acknowledged that this was his first attempt at using AI in an MV and admitted it didn’t turn out as expected. Nevertheless, he hinted at future AI-generated projects, writing on Facebook: “This is just the start. It may not be perfect now, but in 1–2 years, AI will make my images look 100 per cent real.”

Singer Đan Trường acknowledged that his first MV adapting AI did not succeed as expected. Photo courtesy of the artist

The quality of AI-generated visuals remains a challenge. Both Roses by Tuấn and Hard to Love by Vân face similar problems with blurry images. However, since the concept of Sketch a Rose relates to hand-drawing, this wasn’t considered a major weakness.

On the other hand, the cover of Hà Trần's album Finger Rivers has been praised for effectively expressing a surreal idea while providing space for audience contemplation, demonstrating that AI, when used selectively, can bring unique ideas to artists. VNS