Whenever there is a debate on AI replacing human talent, people usually focus on white-collar roles. Human creativity is seen as a secure base. However, this notion is already looking untenable, as creatives now face direct competition from machines. And nowhere is this shift more visible than in music, where AI-generated “cowboys” recently defeated human artists on one of the world’s biggest industry charts – the Billboard chart.

AI-generated country music artist, Breaking Rust, has reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Digital Song Sales chart with his single “Walk My Walk.” There is no singer behind the harsh voice, no songwriter in the studio, and no artist in the dusty desert scene. Yet this week the track has overtaken actual artists, making Breaking Rust the first known AI-only act to top the Billboard country chart. The rise of Breaking Rust has now reignited the long-standing debate over how AI will shape the future of music and who counts as an artist when software can sing, write and promote itself.

This AI project surfaced online in mid-October, consisting of stylish AI-generated clips of a lone cowboy. And within no time, this AI artist gained popularity. It has already grown to over 35,000 Instagram followers and more than 2 million monthly Spotify listeners, while another track, “Livin’ on Borrowed Time”, has surpassed four million streams. The buzz on social media has only increased the curiosity, with users noticing an increase in AI acts on viral charts week after week.

The chart win also highlights how digital sales now play a distinct role in music metrics. Industry trackers estimate that about 3,000 paid downloads were enough for the number 1 spot – a figure much lower than in the pre-streaming era. But it’s still a turning point, proving that AI can attract real listeners and turn hype into measurable chart success.

Interestingly, the credits behind Breaking Rust are listed under Aubiere Rivaldo Taylor, a name linked to another AI music venture called Defbeatsai. Beyond that, very little is publicly verifiable, leading to speculation whether Teller is a real person or another AI-generated identity. Billboard says the project also debuted at No. 9 on the emerging artists chart, raising new questions about how AI creators fit into industry ranking systems built for humans.

The rise of AI voices is not limited to music charts. In Hollywood, major celebrities are increasingly venturing into synthetic-voice partnerships. Oscar winners Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine recently signed deals with AI audio company ElevenLabs that will allow AI-generated versions of their voices to be used commercially, The Guardian reports. McConaughey plans to use the technology to translate his “Lyrics of Livin'” newsletter into Spanish, while Kane’s voice will be featured in the company’s new marketplace, where brands can license and use celebrity vocal likenesses. Both actors have framed the deals as efforts to shape ethical AI adoption rather than fighting it.

Meanwhile, not everyone is celebrating the rise of AI in the artistic world. Critics argue that AI artists introduce “hyper-generic” music and risk undermining human creativity, while major record labels have already sued AI music firms, accusing them of training them on copyrighted songs without permission. Artists from Elton John to Dua Lipa have called for regulation as streaming platforms face a surge of machine-generated uploads. Billboard itself has acknowledged how difficult it is becoming to tell who or what is powered by AI.