​The Next Beat: Music in the Age of AI

​AI is changing music. But where is it actually taking the industry?

​From streaming and social platforms to generative AI, the music industry has gone through profound shifts over the past 15 years. Some changes have transformed the dominant way the industry works. Others have opened up entirely new possibilities.

​In this interactive session, we’ll step back from the latest AI headlines and look at the larger patterns of change shaping music and audio.

​Together, we’ll trace major disruptions and inflection points from the past 15 years, unpack the forces that have driven these shifts, and look at the trends and signals emerging today. We’ll then explore the tension between what currently dominates the industry and what is beginning to emerge — and what that could mean for the next chapter of music.

​Rather than trying to predict the future, this session is about developing a sharper lens for seeing change, recognising patterns, questioning assumptions, and spotting emerging possibilities.

​Expect facilitated exercises, collective mapping, discussion, and perspectives from others thinking about the future of music.

​Whether you’re building in music, audio, AI or creator tech, working in the music industry, a musician or artist, exploring a new venture, or simply curious about how technology might reshape something as human as music — come join us.

Please note, this is more of a sensemaking and group discussion workshop, involving collaborative mapping and sticky notes, rather than a hands-on music-making session using laptops or music-production tools.

​No prior knowledge of futures thinking required.