Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi Push Back on AI Being Used for Solo Albums

Geezer Butler has weighed in on the role of artificial intelligence in music creation, revealing that the technology has helped him finally move forward with a long-gestating solo album. Speaking candidly at a recent fan convention, the Black Sabbath bassist pushed back against the idea that AI use amounts to creative “cheating,” framing it instead as a practical tool.

Life After Black Sabbath

Butler shared the update during an appearance at Steel City Con in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, where he was interviewed by Dee Snider following Black Sabbath’s Back to the Beginning farewell show in July 2025. Asked what he’s been working on since the band’s final bow, Butler discussed both his own material and that of longtime collaborator Tony Iommi.

According to Butler, Iommi is currently finishing a new solo album featuring a vocalist from Sweden. While Butler was invited to contribute bass parts, logistics may prevent his involvement.

“Tony’s got this great album that he’s doing right at the moment,” Butler said. “I think he’s in the process of mixing it right now, so it should be out sometime [soon].

“He’s got this great singer from Sweden on it. And he wanted me to do three bass tracks – but he wanted me to do them in England, and I can’t go to England until June. So if he can hang on that long, I might collaborate with him in June.”

Revisiting Decades of Unreleased Ideas

Turning to his own solo plans, Butler explained that he has been digging deep into his archives, revisiting material written over several decades.

“I’ve got tons of stuff. Since we finished the last Sabbath show I’ve been going through all the stuff I’ve written since the ’80s onwards and updating everything,” he said.

One of the biggest obstacles in the past, Butler admitted, was the lack of a vocalist when working alone at home. That changed once he began experimenting with artificial intelligence.

“What held me back before [was] I didn’t have a singer when I’m at home. But AI came along! … I’m using an AI singer to bring all the lyrics out.”

The technology, he explained, allows him to fully shape songs before bringing them to human collaborators.

AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement

Aware of the skepticism surrounding AI in music, Butler was careful to stress that he isn’t using it to replace real musicians. Instead, he sees it as a communication aid—one that helps translate ideas more clearly.

“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. “Before I was just playing them a bass riff or something, going, ‘Can you sing to this?’”

He added that AI has simply streamlined the early stages of songwriting.

“It’s so much better now – you can sit in your studio and do everything on AI and then take it to proper musicians and let them take over.”

Still, Butler acknowledged the controversy.

“It’s really helped me. A lot of people think it’s cheating.”

Rather than seeing AI as a shortcut, Butler appears to view it as an extension of the demo process—no different in spirit from drum machines, sequencers, or home recording setups that once faced similar criticism. For a musician whose career has spanned analog tape, digital recording, and now artificial intelligence, the embrace of new tools feels less like a departure and more like continuity. As Butler continues shaping his solo material, the emphasis remains firmly on human expression, with technology serving as a bridge rather than a substitute.