Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler has revealed that artificial intelligence is now playing a surprising role in his current songwriting process, not as a replacement for musicians, but as a practical creative tool. Speaking during a question-and-answer session at Steel City Con 2025, Butler explained that he’s been revisiting decades’ worth of unreleased material and using an A.I.-generated vocalist as a stand-in to help bring his lyrics to life. The approach allows him to fully hear how his songs might sound before presenting them to real singers he plans to collaborate with.
“I’ve got tons of stuff,” Butler said, reflecting on the writing he’s accumulated since the 1980s. Since Black Sabbath wrapped up their final show at Back To The Beginning in July 2025, he’s been actively updating those ideas. The missing piece, he explained, was always vocals. Transcribed from Blabbermouth, “What held me back before, I didn’t have a singer when I’m at home, but A.I. came along,” he laughed. “So all my songs now, I’ve updated them all and I’m using an A.I. singer to bring all the lyrics out.” Rather than viewing the technology as a shortcut, Butler described it as a way to communicate more clearly with collaborators. By using an A.I. voice to map out melodies and phrasing, he can show prospective vocalists exactly what he’s imagining. “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 said.
Butler acknowledged that AI remains controversial in music circles, with some critics dismissing it as cheating. He pushed back on that notion, emphasizing that the technology is merely a starting point. “It’s really helped me,” he claimed. While Butler didn’t confirm whether a new solo album is imminent, his comments suggest that there’s no shortage of material.
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