Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler is tapping into artificial intelligence to help shape his next solo project, marking an unexpected new wrinkle in his creative process. Speaking at Steel City Con 2025 in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, Butler revealed that he’s been revisiting years’ worth of material — some dating back to the 1980s — and using AI-generated vocals to develop his ideas before taking them to human singers.
Butler explained that one of the biggest challenges he’s faced when writing solo material has been crafting vocal lines without a singer on hand. “What held me back before, I didn’t have a singer when I’m at home, but AI came along,” he said with a laugh. “So all my songs now, I’ve updated them all and I’m using an AI singer to bring all the lyrics out.”
The bassist emphasized that the AI vocals are not intended for release. Instead, they serve as a tool to illustrate what he has in mind for prospective collaborators. By generating a vocal reference, Butler can show singers exactly how he hears the songs before they step into the studio. “Now I can take it to singers that I’m gonna be working with and go, ‘This is what I want on the album,’ so they’ve got a better idea,” he explained.
In describing the AI process, Butler noted how much it has streamlined his workflow. Previously, he might play a bass riff and ask a vocalist to improvise parts around it — a less precise starting point. With AI, he can map out phrasing, melody and lyrical delivery in advance, making studio collaboration smoother and more efficient.
The use of AI in songwriting remains controversial among musicians and fans. Some critics argue that it undermines the human dimension of music creation, while others see it as a practical tool that opens new creative possibilities. Butler acknowledged the debate, saying candidly that “a lot of people think it’s cheating,” but he maintains that the technology has genuinely helped him move forward with songs that might otherwise have languished unfinished.
Since Black Sabbath’s Back To The Beginning farewell show in July 2025, Butler has been actively updating and revisiting his back catalog of solo ideas, suggesting that there may be new material on the way. While he has stopped short of announcing a formal release date or confirming details about the album itself, his remarks indicate that there is no shortage of creative momentum.
