Timbaland unveils AI star TaTa Taktumi in soulless new music video

Timbaland’s AI artist TaTa Taktumi releases debut song ‘Glitch x Pulse’ stirring fierce online debate

Timbaland has introduced his controversial AI music project to the world, unveiling TaTa Taktumi’s debut track Glitch x Pulse. The video, which dropped on 14 October 2025, has already divided fans and critics alike, with many calling it “soulless” and ironic given the producer’s past comments about modern music lacking emotion.

The Grammy-winning producer launched TaTa Taktumi under his label Stage Zero earlier this year, describing the virtual performer as part of a new wave of “A-pop”, a genre that fuses artificial intelligence with human creativity. However, the release has sparked immediate backlash from fans who argue the project strips music of its humanity rather than enhancing it.

The music video, available on YouTube, presents TaTa Taktumi as a futuristic digital entity performing robotic choreography in a neon-lit world. While Timbaland intended to showcase innovation, many online reactions have mocked the effort as hollow. On Reddit and X, one user quipped, “AI is finally making music as empty as Timbaland said ours was.” Another commented, “He created what he feared, music without a soul.”

The criticism stems partly from Timbaland’s earlier remarks during an interview on The Inner Court podcast, where he labelled recent music “uninspiring” and “soulless”. He claimed that AI could “express true feelings” more effectively than current artists, blaming the 2024 US election for dividing creativity. The irony of those comments has not been lost on listeners, especially since the new track name-drops real artists like Doechii, whose emotionally charged songs have topped charts this year.

TaTa Taktumi’s debut is meant to symbolise a bridge between human and machine artistry, yet it has instead opened a debate about the ethics and future of AI-driven music. Critics fear such projects could commercialise creativity while sidelining human musicians. Fans remain divided between curiosity and concern, with many questioning whether technology can ever truly replace emotional connection in music.

Despite the criticism, Timbaland seems undeterred. Industry insiders suggest Stage Zero plans to release more AI-led collaborations before the end of 2025, hinting that this could be only the beginning of the producer’s digital experiment.