AI and Sound
Rytmisk Center and the Danish Musicians’ Union hosted three events in 2024 focusing on how AI is transforming the music industry. I curated and moderated the three events.
Technological advancements have always reshaped artistic and creative processes, from photography to synthesizers and digital sampling. Generative AI is now accelerating this transformation, enabling musicians to create lyrics, sound, and video with algorithmic tools. As AI challenges traditional notions of originality, ownership, and artistic intent, it is crucial to foster dialogue within the cultural sector. These events explore the intersection of AI and sound, addressing the opportunities and ethical dilemmas that arise when machines become creative collaborators.
Exploring Artistic Rights in an AI Era
How do technological advancements affect musicians and their intellectual property rights? Generative AI is reshaping creative production, raising concerns about balancing innovation with copyright protection and cultural diversity. How can we ensure that artists benefit from technological progress without compromising the essence of their creative contributions?
The session featured DJ Noize, musician, Søs Gunver Ryberg, musician and composer, and Carl Bruno Weitling, lawyer at Riemann Law Firm.
Cloned Sounds – The Role of Voice in Future Music
New software makes it easy to clone, sample, and synthesize voices, raising complex questions about intimacy, identity, and originality in music production. When musicians clone their own voices or incorporate others’ voices, how does this affect perceptions of authenticity and the artist-audience relationship? This also challenges the artist’s right to their own voice and raises ethical questions about creative control. The discussion focuses on the most experimental and controversial voice experiments in and outside Denmark, uncovering the complexities of this musical transformation.
The session featured Stina Hasse Jørgensen researcher, University of Copenhagen, Edin Lind Ikanovic, partner at Analyse & Tal, and Hannah Schneider, singer and composer.
Soundscaping Tomorrow: Defining the Future Musician
In a world where artificial intelligence now composes music, the role of the musician is being redefined. Algorithms can mimic unique styles and generate music based on text prompts. This challenges traditional creative processes and the way we experience music. How are musicians adapting to these new methods, and what artistic approaches must be abandoned or relearned? In the collaboration between humans and AI, where do we draw the line for recognizing a work’s authenticity, and how do we define musical creativity in this technological era?
The session featured Thomas Sandberg, chairperson of the Danish Musicians’ Union, Troels Abrahamsen, composer and sound artist, and Marie Højlund, assistant professor at Aarhus University.
