As expected, Apple Music co-lead Ole Obermann spoke today at the Web Summit event in Lisbon, where he was joined by Dutch DJ and producer Armin van Buuren. Here are the details.
Tech, AI, and music production
As reported by iFeed, Obermann and van Buuren took the stage on the final day of Web Summit in Lisbon to discuss how technology is reshaping the music industry, from the rise of streaming to the growing role of AI in music production.
Obermann, who in previous years attended the event as a ByteDance executive, claimed that “there is a golden era ahead of us,” with technology enabling broader access, more discovery opportunities, and deeper connections between artists and fans.
When the topic turned to AI, van Buuren told Obermann that he has already incorporated AI tools to his music production arsenal, citing a practical example, where he changed the voice of a male singer into the voice of a female singer with the help of AI.
Despite the focus on technology, Obermann reportedly stressed the importance of the human element and of human connection in music, while van Buuren stated that artists and the industry at large can’t fall into the trap of leaning too heavily on technology as a replacement for creativity and authenticity.
van Buuren also commended Apple Music’s Spatial Audio technology and how it elevated the end result of his new album, Piano, which had tracks recorded in a single take each.
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