Will AI Take Over The Music Industry? More SXSW Sydney Programming Revealed

SXSW has just unveiled its first sessions to feature at the Sydney conference from 15 – 22 October.

The sessions – panels – platform ambitious creative people and their ideas that could change the music industry.

In the first round of sessions that will take over SXSW Sydney, three focus on AI. Will AI technology take over the music industry? That’s what SXSW will ponder with its programming.

The AI-focused Session Select Submissions include, It’s 2050 And The Robots Are Among Us, Thriving In The Future (Of Work), and Rage With The Machine: Harnessing The Creativity Of AI In Music And Songwriting.

The first explores the robot population, which hit 8.6 million in 2021. It’s 2050 And The Robots Are Among Us’ description reads, “This session will take a deep dive into the evolution of robots, the tech’s ethics, how they’re used for good, evil and in dangerous environments, plus making AI more culturally diverse.”

Meanwhile, Thriving In The Future (Of Work) features an all-star panel including Derek Laney (Slack from Salesforce), Dominic Price (Atlassian), Mary Lemonis (REA Group) and Ross Dawson (Advanced Human Technologies Group), who will discuss the future of work and productivity, and how AI and remote work can offer a more fulfilling work life.

Rage With The Machine (a great name) asks, “What does it mean to be a music artist, composer, songwriter or music producer in a time of emerging tech and AI?” The session will offer knowledge in digital tools, breakthroughs in AI, and how the digital age and AI can be used in the songwriting process.

AI entering music isn’t popular with everybody, with Nick Cave calling a Chat GPT-inspired take on a Nick Cave song “bullshit” and “a grotesque mockery of what it is to be human”.

AI has also infiltrated YouTube, with a “lost” Oasis album recorded by a real-life band but with AI-created Liam Gallagher vocals and The Beatles covering The Beach Boys. The Music has also investigated how your songs could be training AI without your permission.