Originally published on 7.13.23

The US Senate joined the meme realm of the Minecraft playing and pop-verse remixing AI presidents of TikTok Wednesday as Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) kicked off a hearing with a nearly 40 second corny, yet seemingly effective, AI parody of “New York, New York” complete with AI generated Frank Sinatra.

“AI, AI” greeted attendees and panelists alike to the hearing, which showcased film, music and legal experts—but not before the show.

AI used the hook of “Start spreading the news” to launch into an original ballad about the ever-learning nature of AI and the “digital minds” of those who create it. While the voice wasn’t perfectly Sinatra—likely because it wasn’t Ol’ Blue Eyes himself—and the timing was off at parts, but it was recognizably Sinatra, possibly as if he had a cold. The song, while still rhyming, jammed too many words into tight instrumental spaces or left dead air where lyrics would typically appear. The AI also had a few issues modulating some of the words, but to the unassuming ear, this could’ve just sounded like a skipping record.

While the parody didn’t leave anyone thinking Sinatra had risen from the dead to grace the room with a tune, the example did garner applause, laughter and some cringes from the attendees.

Once the room settled, Coons admitted there’s a version of this song his team made with him duetting the number with AI Sinatra, but his voice was “so horribly flat” he didn’t want to “impose” it on anyone.