As Alter Bridge prepares to unleash their self-titled eighth studio album this Friday, the band isn’t just focused on riffs and melodies—they are looking ahead at a rapidly shifting technological landscape that threatens the very definition of creativity. In a sobering new conversation with Metal Covenant, guitarist Mark Tremonti and vocalist Myles Kennedy expressed deep concerns about the rising dominance of artificial intelligence in the arts.
While discussing the release of their new record in 2026, Tremonti offered a stark prediction for the future of human expression, suggesting that we are currently standing on a precipice.
“Well, going forward, it’s gonna be this A.I. [artificial intelligence] thing,” Tremonti told the outlet. “I think everybody needs to enjoy it as much as they can because in the history of the human race, this will be the last time you’ll know art is real. It’s anything from music to literature to movie scripts to paintings to visual art, A.I. is gonna come on in. There’s gonna be a lot of true artists that keep doing it true, but they’re gonna be overwhelmed by the just overwhelming amount of fake art that’s gonna come out.”
Kennedy echoed his bandmate’s sentiments, pointing out that the technology has already reached a point where the lines between human and machine are blurring, potentially eroding the connection between artist and audience.
“And I think the other thing that’s gonna be interesting is when you put a record out, they can even do it with this record because it’s certainly capable at this point, people will be, like, ‘Oh, is that something that they actually created, or did they just have A.I. do that and then they performed it?’ Is it gonna take away the mystique where people are always second-guessing whether it’s actually legit?”
For a band known for their technical proficiency and songwriting craft, the idea that fans might question the authorship of their work is particularly painful.
“Both [Mark and I] are extremely passionate about writing. I think writing is what drives us more than anything. We love the creative process, so the idea that someone would think for a second that you might not have actually chased it down yourself is kind of heartbreaking.”
Despite his warnings, Tremonti admitted to utilizing the technology himself in the past, acknowledging the complex relationship artists now have with these tools.
“And I feel a little hypocritical, ’cause of my first video for the last Tremonti [project] album, I found this great visual artist. This is right when A.I. was starting to do the visual art. By the time we released it, the A.I. thing was all over the place, and people see the video, like, ‘What is this A.I. bulls**t?’ I was, like, ‘Well, I just saw this visual artist and Tim [Tournier, manager] went and hired him.’ So at the very beginnings of all that, I put out a video that was very A.I. based. But that being said, it was probably the baddest-a** video I’ve ever had. It’s incredible. But as far as the music stuff goes, that’s where it’s gonna get super scary.”
The band’s new album, simply titled Alter Bridge, arrives tomorrow, Friday, January 9, 2026, via Napalm Records. Produced by longtime collaborator Michael “Elvis” Baskette, the 12-track collection was recorded at the legendary 5150 Studio in California and Elvis‘ own facility in Florida.
To support the release, Alter Bridge will embark on the extensive “What Lies Within” tour. The European leg begins on January 15 in Germany with support from Daughtry and Sevendust, wrapping up in the U.K. in March. A U.S. headline run will follow in the spring, kicking off April 25 in Orlando, Florida, featuring support from Filter or Sevendust and Tim Montana in select markets.
Alter Bridge – Alter Bridge Track Listing:
- “Silent Divide“
- “Rue The Day“
- “Power Down“
- “Trust In Me“
- “Disregarded“
- “Tested And Able“
- “What Lies Within“
- “Hang By A Thread“
- “Scales Are Falling“
- “Playing Aces“
- “What Are You Waiting For“
- “Slave To Master“
